HOME DEPARTMENT

Investigatory Powers Tribunal

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 28 October 2013, Official Report, column 342W, on investigatory powers tribunal, what the definition is of the term frivolous.

James Brokenshire: The term 'frivolous' is not defined in legislation. It is a long established concept in legal proceedings that courts will not entertain frivolous claims. It is matter for the tribunal to determine if a complaint is frivolous.

Lasers

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of laser pen attacks on police helicopters have been recorded in the last five years.

Damian Green: The information requested is not available from the police recorded crime data collected by the Home Office.

Police

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces are currently involved in the street triage pilot; whether she has had any discussions with Ministers in the Welsh Assembly about beginning trials of the pilot in Wales; and when she expects to publish results of the pilots.

Damian Green: The Department of Health is funding mental health street triage pilots to be carried out by the following police forces:
	Metropolitan Police Service
	British Transport Police
	West Yorkshire Police
	West Midlands Police
	Thames Valley Police
	North Yorkshire Police
	Sussex Police
	Derbyshire Constabulary
	Devon and Cornwall Police
	Health policy is devolved to the Welsh Government, so it would be for them to decide whether to introduce mental health triage arrangements. However, my officials are keeping in touch with Welsh Government officials (and police forces) about the wider developments in England and in Wales around mental health and policing, to ensure learning is shared.
	The Department of Health will be conducting an evaluation of the street triage pilots, to ensure that good practice can be shared more widely, and my Department is supporting this. The Department of Health will announce in due course when results will be made available.

Police: Autism

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to ensure that autism awareness training is available to all police officers.

Damian Green: All Police Officer and Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) recruits complete the two year Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (IPLDP) that includes guidance and advice on responding to persons who are vulnerable through disability, mental ill health or learning disabilities.
	Serving officers are required to complete, and refresh annually, First Aid Training and Personal Safety Training that incorporates Mental Ill Heath Modules.
	All of these training packages cover Mental Ill Health, including autism awareness.

TRANSPORT

East Coast Railway Line

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason data from the Office of Rail Regulation showing that the East Coast Main Line (ECML) on passengers per train kilometre was not included in the ECML prospectus published by his Department on 25 October 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: The number of passengers per train kilometre is included in the Intercity East Coast Prospectus on page 15.
	The Office of Rail Regulation does not explicitly publish passengers per train kilometre by Train Operator; although they do publish the passenger kilometres and timetabled train kilometres statistics from which these figures can be calculated.

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in his Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Goodwill: Ministers, the Permanent Secretary and senior civil servants attend European Transport Council and engage with EU Commissioners and MEPs as and when required.

Large Goods Vehicles

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his general policy to restrict heavy goods vehicles to the inside lane on uphill stretches of two-lane dual-carriageways, motorways and trunk roads at certain times of the day.

Robert Goodwill: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), has no current plans to make it his general policy to restrict heavy goods vehicles to the inside lane on up-hill stretches of two lane dual carriageways (including when they are trunk roads) or motorways at certain times of the day. In a few, very specific, locations the Highways Agency has put in place overtaking restrictions. Inconsiderate overtaking can fall within the offence of careless and inconsiderate driving. The Government introduced a fixed penalty disposal option for this offence in August 2013 to aid its enforcement.

Public Transport: Yorkshire and the Humber

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much investment his Department has made in rail and bus services in (a) Huddersfield and (b) Yorkshire since 2010.

Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport does not hold detailed information on rail investment by area. Whilst the Department specifies the outputs required, Network Rail determines the detailed enhancements to deliver these outputs. Funding for the costs of these is allocated by the Office of Rail Regulation at a high level. Network Rail can provide information on the details of these investments.
	The following bus investment has been provided by the Department to the Yorkshire area since 2010:
	The last three rounds of the Green Bus Fund—between 2010 and 2013—have resulted in some £6.4 million being awarded across the Yorkshire region for investment in greener bus fleets.
	In 2012, after successful Better Bus Area Fund applications York received £2.9 million; South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (PTE) received £4.9 million; and, West Yorkshire PTE received £5 million. The money is being used to fund a range of bus improvement measures.
	Earlier this year both Sheffield and York made successful bids to become new Better Bus Areas. They will each now gradually see Bus Service Operators Grant from within their Better Bus Areas devolved to them, plus a top up amount, to invest in improved bus services.
	In 2010, a total of £4.4 million of grant funding was provided to South Yorkshire PTE and West Yorkshire PTE to help meet the start up and initial running costs of new smart ticketing schemes. The PTEs pooled their resources to maximise the benefit to passengers in Yorkshire. This funding was not specific to either bus or rail.
	In 2011 and 2012 some £2 million was allocated to the Yorkshire and Humber region in order to support community transport services.
	Some £51 million has also been awarded across the Yorkshire region via the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.

Railways: Construction

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the business case for a dedicated twin-track connection between High Speed 1 and High Speed 2, taking account of the costs of construction and the potential for additional domestic services and for terminating southbound High Speed 2 trains at destinations other than Euston; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Goodwill: HS2 Ltd assessed the case for a connection between HS2 and HS1 prior to the consultation on Phase One of HS2 in 2012. They concluded that the proposed single track link provides sufficient capacity to meet likely demand both on domestic and international services for the foreseeable future.
	HS2 Ltd has assessed terminating southbound services at destinations other than Euston. This would mean not stopping at a central London destination, which would reduce the overall benefits from HS2.

Railways: Construction

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the cost of tunnelling the High Speed 1/High Speed 2 link from Primrose Hill to St Pancras.

Robert Goodwill: The proposed High Speed 1/High Speed 2 link runs in tunnel from Old Oak Common to Primrose Hill and then continues on a surface route from Primrose Hill, along the existing (but widened) North London Line to connect with the existing High Speed 1 link. The estimated cost of the link is £610 million of which the tunnelled section is estimated to be £290 million.
	HS2 Ltd have also looked at various other options for tunnelling the link. This includes extended tunnelling from Old Oak Common to Agar Grove which is to the north of Kings Cross, estimated to cost £760 million; and two twin bore tunnels starting at Primrose Hill running to Agar Grove, estimated to cost £995 million.

Rescue Services: Air Force

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions fixed wing top cover search and rescue RAF aircraft were (a) requested by and (b) provided to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in each of the last two years; and where each incident took place.

Stephen Hammond: At no time in each of the last two years have RAF aircraft been (a) requested by and (b) provided to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Roads: Floods

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to provide a pinch-point fund to ensure the upkeep of roads which flood regularly on a seasonable basis.

Robert Goodwill: The Department does not have a specific fund to deal with those parts of the highway that are liable to flooding. The Local Pinch Point Fund is aimed at those schemes that can be delivered quickly with immediate impact and remove bottlenecks on the local highway network which are impeding growth. The Fund reflects the Government's commitment to supporting economic growth by tackling barriers on the local highway network that may be restricting the movement of goods and people. The Tranche 4 competition has just closed and we are currently assessing and will make an announcement on successful schemes in due course.
	The Department does, however, provide capital funding via the Highways Maintenance Block. This funding is not ring-fenced and can be used for these activities if these are deemed a priority by the authority. As part of the October 2010 spending review, this Department announced that it would be providing £3.4 billion to local authorities for highway maintenance from 2011 to 2015.
	The 2013 spending round announcement on 26 June 2013 commits to providing just under £6 billion to local highway authorities over the six year period from 2015-16 to 2020-21—this equates to £976 million per year. This highlights the Government's commitment to the country's most valuable public asset and to ensure that our local highways are fit for purpose.

Speed Limits

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that the DVLA website records all speed limits in miles per hour rather than kilometres per hour.

Robert Goodwill: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) website can now be found as part of GOV.UK at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/driver-and-vehicle-licensing-agency
	Current instructions for all of GOV.UK, including the DVLA section, are to display speed limits in both miles per hour and kilometres per hour—e.g. at:
	https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for Britain to leave the EU in his Department's area of responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Goodwill: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds) on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W. The Department has not made any plans for the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

Vehicle Number Plates

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on his Department's review of vehicle number plate security and integrity.

Robert Goodwill: The Department has made a Red Tape Challenge commitment to reviewing the number plate regime in the UK. Work is under way in suggesting improvements and it is envisaged that a public consultation will take place in 2014.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities when she last met the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Helen Grant: Together with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), I last met Baroness Onora O'Neill on 23 October.

EU Institutions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many visits Ministers from the Government Equalities Office made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Grant: This Department's Ministers' travel is published quarterly, in line with Cabinet Office guidance, and are available at:
	http://data.gov.uk/dataset/ministerial-data-dcms-2010
	None of the current Ministers for Women and Equalities have visited the European Commission or the European Parliament in their capacity as Ministers for Women and Equalities. They took on this role in September 2012 following a machinery of Government change. Due to this change of Ministers and Departments records are not accessible or available for visits made by previous Ministers for Women and Equalities.

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in the Government Equalities Office made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Grant: The number of visits made by the Permanent Secretary and other officials on the DCMS Executive Board is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of visits to the European Commission 
			 2010-11 0 
			 2011-12 1 
			 2012-13 3 
		
	
	The Government Equalities Office transferred to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in September 2012 following a machinery of Government change. Records of visits of senior officials prior to this have not been kept. The Government Equalities Office does not have a Permanent Secretary. It is currently headed by a Director and neither the Director nor the four next most senior civil servants have visited the European Commission or the European Parliament since September 2012.

Females: Business

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what discussions she has had on the use of quotas on FTSE 100 boards to increase the representation of black and minority ethnic women at the highest levels of business.

Helen Grant: Ministers meet regularly with senior business leaders to discuss board room diversity. We are committed to the voluntary approach and are supporting the recommendations made by Lord Davies this has seen substantial progress from 12% women on FTSE 100 boards in 2011 to 19% in 2013. The biggest increase ever. The Financial Reporting Council have also introduced changes to company reporting which requires listed companies to report on the diversity of their board rooms.

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if she will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for Britain to leave the EU in the Government Equalities Office's area of responsibility; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Grant: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W, to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds). The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Government Equalities Office has not made any plans for the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

EU Institutions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many visits Ministers from her Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Grant: This Department's Ministers' travel is published quarterly, in line with Cabinet Office guidance, and are available at:
	http://data.gov.uk/dataset/ministerial-data-dcms-2010
	None of the current Ministers for Women and Equalities have visited the European Commission or the European Parliament in their capacity as Ministers for Women and Equalities. They took on this role in September 2012 following a machinery of Government change. Due to this change of Ministers and Departments records are not accessible or available for visits made by previous Ministers for Women and Equalities.

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in her Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Grant: The number of visits made by the Permanent Secretary and other officials on the DCMS Executive Board is set out in the table:
	
		
			  Number of visits to the European Commission 
			 2010-11 0 
			 2011-12 1 
			 2012-13 3 
		
	
	The Government Equalities Office transferred to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in September 2012 following a machinery of government change. Records of visits of senior officials prior to this have not been kept. The Government Equalities Office does not have a Permanent Secretary. It is currently headed by a Director and neither the Director nor the four next most senior civil servants have visited the European Commission or the European Parliament since September 2012.

Gaming Machines

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the average spend in fixed odd betting machines by each user in (a) Greater Manchester, (b) the North West and (c) the UK.

Helen Grant: The Department does not hold figures on the average spend by each user of B2 gaming machines, otherwise known as fixed odds betting terminals.
	The British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2010 found that 4% of the adult population of Great Britain—approximately 2 million people—said they had gambled using a B2 machine in the past year. The Gross Gambling Yield from B2 gaming machines in 2009-10, approximately the period covered by the Prevalence Survey, was £1.17 billion. The Department does not publish data on B2 gaming machine use at a more local level.
	An updated estimate of the proportion of people in Great Britain playing B2 gaming machines will be published by the Gambling Commission next year using data collected in the Scottish Health Survey and the Health Survey for England. The Gambling Commission's published Industry Statistics show that the Gross Gambling Yield from B2 machines in the year to October 2012 was £1.52 billion.

Gaming Machines

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East of 23 October 2013, Official Report, column 299, when the Government’s review of fixed-odd betting terminals will report;
	(2)  who will conduct the Government’s review of fixed-odd betting terminals;
	(3)  when the Government’s review of fixed-odd betting terminals will begin.

Helen Grant: The Government has undertaken a review of gaming machine stake and prize limits for all categories of gaming machine, including fixed odds betting terminals, which was published in October. We remain concerned about the potential and actual harm that can arise from playing fixed odds betting terminals and consider their future to be unresolved. The Government is working with the Gambling Commission, the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board, the Responsible Gambling Trust and the industry itself and further work is under way to rapidly advance our understanding of all aspects of these machines.

Gaming Machines

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans her Department has to limit the stakes and rate of play for fixed odd betting terminals.

Helen Grant: The Government has undertaken a review of gaming machine stake and prize limits for all categories of gaming machine, including fixed odds betting terminals, which was published in October. We remain concerned about the potential and actual harm that can arise from playing fixed odds betting terminals and consider their future to be unresolved. The Government is working with the Gambling Commission, the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board, the Responsible Gambling Trust and the industry itself and further work is under way to rapidly advance our understanding of all aspects of these machines.

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for the UK to leave the EU in her Department's area of responsibility; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Grant: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W, to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds). The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Government Equalities Office has not made any plans for the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support Agency

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to publish the audited figures for the Child Support Agency's Client Funds account for financial year 2012-13.

Steve Webb: The Client Funds Account for 2012-13 is currently being finalised and will be published early in the new year.

Children: Maintenance

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what child maintenance arrears by the parent with care are currently outstanding in (a) each of the component parts of the UK and (b) each parliamentary constituency.

Steve Webb: Tables showing the amount of child maintenance arrears owed by non resident parents, and of this amount how much is owed to the Parent with Care, in the component parts of the UK and by the parliamentary constituency of the Parent with Care (as of March 2013) will be placed in the Library.

Employment Schemes: Disability

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Work Choice participants have been issued with a sanction since 2010.

Esther McVey: Work Choice is a voluntary programme, and as such providers do not take this course of action.

Employment Schemes: Disability

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Work Programme participants have transferred to Work Choice since 2011.

Esther McVey: The information requested is not available.

Employment Schemes: Disability

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people undertaking Work Choice since 2010 have had a mental health problem as their primary impairment.

Esther McVey: Since primary disability has begun to be collected for Work Choice participants (since 3 May 2011), up to 30 June 2013 there have been 8,670 Work Choice referrals from customers who have a mild to moderate mental health condition and 590 referrals from customers who have a severe mental illness as their primary disability. These figures are published in table 4 on page 15 of the latest publication at the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/229350/work-choice-statistics-august-2013.pdf

Employment Schemes: Disability

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people selecting Work Choice since 2010 have claimed (a) employment and support allowance or incapacity benefit, (b) jobseeker's allowance and (c) disability living allowance.

Esther McVey: Since Work Choice began (and up to 30 June 2013), there have been:
	25,740 referrals from customers in receipt of JSA only;
	12,400 referrals from customers in receipt of JSA and DLA;
	4,130 referrals from customers in receipt of IB/ESA only;
	6,340 referrals from customers in receipt of IB/ESA and DLA;
	9,770 referrals from customers in receipt of DLA only.
	These figures are published in table 5 on page 16 of the latest publication at the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/229350/work-choice-statistics-august-2013.pdf

EU Institutions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: The Department regularly publishes data relating to overseas visits undertaken by Ministers. The information you have requested can be found via the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-ministers-overseas-travel-2010

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in his Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: The Department regularly publishes data relating to overseas visits undertaken by the Permanent Secretary and senior civil servants. The information you have requested can be found via the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dwp-senior-managers-hospitality-and-business-expenses

Genetically Modified Organisms

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration he has given to including commercial applications such as bioreactors, fish tanks and glasshouses within the single regulatory framework covering laboratory safety for genetically modified organisms.

Michael Penning: HSE is currently consulting on the proposed consolidation of the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000 and its three amending sets of regulations (2002, 2005 and 2010). Uses of bioreactors, fish tanks and glasshouses for containing genetically modified organisms are covered by the existing regulations and will be covered by the consolidated regulations. These regulations require operators to put in place containment barriers that afford protection to human health and the environment. The consolidation will assist in removing potential legal hurdles that may impede the longer-term goal of producing a single regulatory framework for this type of work.

Genetically Modified Organisms

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether applications covered under the proposed single regulatory framework for laboratory safety for genetically modified organisms will include (a) GM insects, (b) GM fish, (c) GM farm animals, (d) GM plants, (e) GM micro-organisms and (f) products of synthetic biology, including micro-organisms and algae.

Michael Penning: HSE is currently consulting on the proposed consolidation of the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000 and its three amending sets of regulations (2002, 2005 and 2010). Activities involving GM insects, GM fish, GM farm animals, GM plants and GM micro-organisms are covered by the existing regulations and will be covered by the consolidated regulations. Products of synthetic biology such as micro-organisms and algae are also covered under these regulations. However, synthetic biology products such as proteins and chemicals are not covered by these regulations. The consolidation will assist in removing potential legal hurdles that may impede the longer-term goal of producing a single regulatory framework for this type of work.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 25 April 2013, Official Report, columns 1080-2W, on jobseeker's allowance, how many claimants of jobseeker's allowance in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have (i) received a sanction and (ii) received a sanction and disputed it since 2012.

Esther McVey: DWP plan to release official statistics on jobseeker's allowance (JSA) sanction decisions at 9.30 am on 6 November 2013. These statistics will include JSA sanction decisions under the new JSA regime implemented on 22 October 2012. For further details see here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/jobseekers-allowance-sanctions

Jobseeker's Allowance

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Ribble Valley constituency, (b) Lancashire and (c) the UK have consecutively claimed jobseeker's allowance for (i) over 12 months, (ii) over 24 months and (iii) over 36 months in the latest period for which figures are available.

Esther McVey: Statistics on the number of JSA claimants, by geography and duration, can be found at:
	https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp
	Guidance for users can be found at:
	https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp

Lone Parents: Lancashire

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to increase support for single, working parents in Lancashire.

Esther McVey: In Work Advisory Support (IWAS) is available, on a voluntary basis, to assist eligible lone parents with their transition into work and career progression once in work. Eligible lone parents can access IWAS up to approximately one hour per month during their initial 26 weeks of employment. IWAS is driven by individual requirements but provides a dedicated adviser contact and ongoing advisory support. In Work Emergency Payments (IWEF) also support eligible lone parents who experience a financial emergency in the first 26 weeks of work, enabling them to remain in work.
	Under universal credit we will support individuals in work to encourage progression and aim enable those people that can, to earn more. To ensure that we can deliver effective in-work support we are trialling a variety of different approaches to gather evidence about what can help people stay in work and progress to earn more and the circumstances that might make it harder for some people to earn more.
	We will run a wide-range of trials over the coming months and years that will help test a variety of approaches. The first of these trials are already under way. Jobcentre Plus is running 11 different trials, many of them look to extend adviser support—delivered through a variety of different ways to people who are moving into work. Other trials are looking to test ways of working with employers and the role of skills and their impact on people staying and progressing in-work. The trials will help us learn what works before we roll-out any support nationally.

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in his Department.

Michael Penning: No officials have been employed specifically to provide direct support to the Department's special advisers.

Personal Independence Payment

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many personal independence payment assessment claims have been received by his Department to date;
	(2)  how many personal independence payment assessment claims received by his Department have been assessed within (a) 28 days, (b) 40 days, (c) more than 40 days and (d) more than 60 days of receipt;
	(3)  what the target is for completion of personal independence payment claims for people resident in Wales.

Michael Penning: Personal independence payment started from April 2013 and although limited data has started to feed through, we need to wait until the Department has quality assured and meaningful figures for publication. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish Official Statistics on personal independence payment from spring 2014.
	In order to manage the gap between personal independence payment go-live and the first release of Official Statistics in spring 2014, we are assessing whether we can release some management information. If the quality assurance of this management information shows that it is sufficiently robust and reliable then we aim to publish it via an ad-hoc statistical release.
	Personal independence payment is a new benefit and the Department does not have a target for completion of claims while processes are bedding in.

Social Security Benefits

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 29 October 2013, Official Report, column 459W, on social security benefits, how many of the claims which remained incompletely processed after 14 days related to payment for (a) employment and support allowance and (b) jobseeker's allowance in each month of the current and last three financial years; and what the monetary value of each such category of claim in each month of each such year was;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 29 October 2013, what the (a) number of claims for jobseeker's allowance and (b) monetary value in sum of all jobseeker's allowance claims is, of those claims that remained incompletely processed after 14 days for each month in the current and past three financial years;
	(3)  pursuant to the answer of 29 October 2013, Official Report, column 459W, on social security benefits, what the (a) number of claims and (b) monetary value was of those claims that fell outside each of his Department's performance targets listed in each month in the current and last three financial years.

Esther McVey: The Department's performance data systems do not record the monetary value of incomplete processed claims.
	The Department's performance data systems record the number of claims which are incompletely processed beyond the Department's targets for those claims. These targets are to process:
	90% of jobseeker’s allowance claims in 16 days,
	85% of employment and support allowance claims in 16 days, and
	90% of income support claims in 13 days.
	The following annexes show the number of claims that fell outside each of the Department's performance targets listed in each month in the current and last three financial years
	The Department's performance data systems do not record the number of incomplete claims after 14 days.
	
		
			 Annex A: ESA claims 
			 ESA claims 2010-11 Apr 2010 May 2010 Jun 2010 July 2010 Aug2010 Sept 2010 Oct 2010 Nov 2010 Dec 2010 Jan 2011 Feb 2011 Mar 2011 
			 ESA claims total processed 57,768 53,388 60,968 61,650 58,314 62,307 59,139 62,023 47,326 57,933 59,841 71,712 
			 ESA claims processed in 16 days 46,533 43,302 49,822 50,213 47,599 51,181 48,214 50,725 38,300 47,044 48,535 55,571 
		
	
	
		
			 ESA claims percentage processed in 16 days 80.55 81.11 81.72 81.45 81.63 82.14 81.53 81.78 80.93 81.20 81.11 77.49 
			 No. of claims outside target 11,235 10,086 11,146 11,437 10,715 11,126 10,925 11,298 9,026 10,889 11,306 16,141 
		
	
	
		
			 ESA Claims 2011-12 Apr 2011 May 2011 Jun 2011 Jul 2011 Aug 2011 Sep 2011 Oct 2011 Nov 2011 Dec 2011 Jan 2012 Feb 2012 Mar 2012 
			 ESA claims total processed 51,719 59,374 64,929 61,253 63,174 65,105 61,118 63,248 52,258 63,025 64,942 65,963 
			 ESA claims processed in 16 days 41,136 48,009 52,880 51,024 53,500 55,443 52,756 54,384 44,424 55,132 56,428 56,646 
			 ESA claims percentage processed in 16 days 79.54 80.86 81.44 83.3 84.69 85.16 86.32 85.99 85.01 87.48 86.89 85.88 
			 No. of claims outside target 10,583 11,365 12,049 10,229 9,674 9,662 8,362 8,864 7,834 7,893 8,514 9,317 
		
	
	
		
			 ESA Claims 2012-13 Apr 2012 May 2012 Jun 2012 Jul 2012 Aug 2012 Sep 2012 Oct 2012 Nov 2012 Dec 2012 Jan 2013 Feb 2013 Mar 2013 
			 ESA claims total processed 55,287 66,362 57,234 68,409 65,749 66,288 76,090 79,531 59,862 75,743 71,221 66,113 
			 ESA claims processed in 16 days 46,877 56,969 48,892 56,798 53,244 53,777 61,945 64,264 48,826 62,719 61,300 56,279 
			 ESA claims percentage processed in 16 days 84.79 85.85 85.42 83.03 80.98 81.13 81.41 80.8 81.56 82.81 86.07 85.13 
			 No. of claims outside target 8,410 9,393 8,342 11,611 12,505 12,511 14,145 15,267 11,036 13,024 9,921 9,834 
		
	
	
		
			 ESA claims 2013-14 Apr 2013 May 2013 Jun 2013 Jul 2013 Aug 2013 Sep 2013 
			 ESA claims total processed 67,127 71,297 67,951 81,170 73,918 79,567 
			 ESA claims processed in 16 days 55,537 60,202 58,530 70,765 64,916 71,728 
		
	
	
		
			 ESA claims Percentage processed in 16 days 82.73 84.44 86.14 87.18 87.82 90.15 
			 No. of claims outside target 11,590 11,095 9,421 10,405 9,002 7,839 
		
	
	
		
			 Annex B: IS claims 
			 IS claims 2010-11 Apr 2010 May 2010 Jun 2010 Jul 2010 Aug 2010 Sep 2010 Oct 2010 Nov 2010 Dec 2010 Jan 2011 Feb 2011 Mar 2011 
			 IS claims processed 36,031 34,773 40,200 40,826 37,038 40,519 36,816 35,704 25,416 30,928 32,884 36,964 
			 IS claims processed in 13 days 30,990 30,546 35,708 36,162 32,748 36,127 32,382 31,460 22,499 28,122 29,641 32,915 
			 IS claims Percentage processed in 13 days 86.01 87.84 88.83 88.58 88.42 89.16 87.96 88.11 88.52 90.93 90.14 89.05 
			 No. of claims outside target 5,041 4,227 4,492 4,664 4,290 4,392 4,434 4,244 2,917 2,806 3,243 4,049 
		
	
	
		
			 IS claims 2011-12 Apr 2011 May 2011 Jun 2011 Jul 2011 Aug 2011 Sep 2011 Oct 2011 Nov 2011 Dec 2011 Jan 2012 Feb 2012 Mar 2012 
			 IS claims processed 26,907 31,505 33,350 32,912 34,753 35,421 34,551 32,704 25,970 30,180 32,004 34,771 
			 IS claims processed in 13 days 24,066 28,359 29,859 28,653 30,189 31,036 29,770 28,271 23,478 27,224 28,727 30,536 
			 IS claims percentage processed in 13 days 89.44 90.01 89.53 87.06 86.87 87.62 86.16 86.45 90.4 90.21 89.76 87.82 
			 No. of claims outside target 2,841 3,146 3,491 4,259 4,564 4,385 4,781 4,433 2,492 2,956 3,277 4,235 
		
	
	
		
			 IS claims 2012-13 Apr 2012 May 2012 Jun 2012 Jul 2012 Aug 2012 Sep 2012 Oct 2012 Nov 2012 Dec 2012 Jan 2013 Feb 2013 Mar 2013 
			 IS claims processed 29,073 32,910 27,772 31,628 31,074 29,846 34,725 32,812 23,920 28,154 28,145 26,521 
			 IS claims processed in 13 days 25,955 29,624 25,193 28,572 27,901 26,772 30,713 29,523 21,742 26,087 25,817 23,971 
			 IS claims percentage processed in 13 days 89.28 90.02 90.71 90.34 89.79 89.7 88.45 89.98 90.89 92.66 91.73 90.38 
			 No. of claims outside target 3,118 3,286 2,579 3,056 3,173 3,074 4,012 3,289 2,178 2,067 2,328 2,550 
		
	
	
		
			 IS claims 2013-14 Apr 2013 May 2013 Jun 2013 Jul 2013 Aug 2013 Sep 2013 
			 IS claims processed 27,697 28,691 26,730 31,449 28,400 29,427 
		
	
	
		
			 IS claims processed in 13 days 25,182 25,875 24,595 28,700 26,170 27,424 
			 IS claims percentage processed in 13 days 90.92 90.19 92.01 91.26 92.15 93.19 
			 No. of claims outside target 2,515 2,816 2,135 2,749 2,230 2,003 
		
	
	
		
			 Annex C: JSA claims 
			 JSA claims 2010-11 Apr 2010 May 2010 Jun 2010 Jul 2010 Aug 2010 Sep 2010 Oct 2010 Nov 2010 Dec 2010 Jan 2011 Feb 2011 Mar 2011 
			 JSA claims total processed 254,728 228,898 262,236 289,273 283,672 309,154 279,678 298,966 232,794 324,969 276,848 309,328 
			 JSA claims processed in 16 days 225,035 200,950 233,189 251,063 239,611 266,267 238,136 260,405 203,235 284,886 236,497 266,460 
			 JSA claims percentage processed in 16 days 88.34 87.79 88.92 86.79 84.47 86.13 85.15 87.1 87.3 87.67 85.42 86.14 
			 No. of claims outside target 29,693 27,948 29,047 38,210 44,061 42,887 41,542 38,561 29,559 40,083 40,351 42,868 
		
	
	
		
			 JSA claims 2011-12 Apr 2011 May 2011 Jun 2011 Jul 2011 Aug 2011 Sep 2011 Oct 2011 Nov 2011 Dec 2011 Jan 2012 Feb 2012 Mar 2012 
			 JSA claims total processed 216,884 250,098 271,184 287,843 305,964 305,904 283,513 288,902 231,444 315,490 290,831 271,150 
			 JSA claims processed in 16 days 193,088 220,649 230,887 240,908 263,003 272,100 252,115 260,206 208,672 286,444 253,936 239,377 
			 JSA claims percentage processed in 16 days 89.03 88.23 85.14 83.69 85.96 88.95 88.93 90.07 90.16 90.79 87.31 88.28 
			 No. of claims outside target 23,796 29,449 40,297 46,935 42,961 33,804 31,398 28,696 22,772 29,046 36,895 31,773 
		
	
	
		
			 JSA claims 2012-13 Apr 2012 May 2012 Jun 2012 Jul 2012 Aug 2012 Sep 2012 Oct 2012 Nov 2012 Dec 2012 Jan 2013 Feb 2013 Mar 2013 
			 JSA claims total processed 224,171 260,148 220,367 298,006 293,794 269,640 315,606 293,025 209,443 316,803 277,330 227,916 
		
	
	
		
			 JSA claims processed in 16 days 200,919 228,066 188,347 243,248 245,402 236,232 263,825 257,236 187,442 285,958 247,995 206,837 
			 JSA claims percentage processed in 16 days 89.63 87.67 85.47 81.63 83.53 87.61 83.59 87.79 89.5 90.26 89.42 90.75 
			 No. of claims outside target 23,252 32,082 32,020 54,758 48,392 33,408 51,781 35,789 22,001 30,845 29,335 21,079 
		
	
	
		
			 JSA claims 2013-14 Apr 2013 May 2013 Jun 2013 Jul 2013 Aug 2013 Sep 2013 
			 JSA claims total processed 227,392 230,113 215,139 269,164 241,730 255,601 
			 JSA claims processed in 16 days 202,599 207,978 199,339 248,022 224,785 241,856 
			 JSA claims percentage processed in 16 days 89.1 90.38 92.66 92.15 92.99 94.62 
			 No. of claims outside target 24,793 22,135 15,800 21,142 16,945 13,745 
			 Source: MISP is a departmental performance management, data capture and reporting tool. This type of internal management information does not form part of the official statistics output that are released by the Department in accordance with the UK Statistics Authority’s Code of Practice.

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for Britain to leave the EU in his Department's area of responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply the Minister for Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), provided on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W, to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds).

SCOTLAND

Common Agricultural Policy

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the effects of the recent CAP settlement on farmers and rural communities in Scotland.

David Mundell: The UK Government negotiated hard in recent EU CAP reform negotiations to deliver a fair outcome for farmers in Scotland and around the UK.
	The UK Government secured, for example, a provision that will allow CAP regulations to be implemented at regional level, in line with devolution arrangements. This will ensure that the Scottish Government can implement the CAP according to Scottish priorities.

Low Pay

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps the Government is taking to tackle low pay in Scotland.

Alistair Carmichael: The national minimum wage is one of Government’s key policies to support the low-paid and is UK wide. On 1 October the adult minimum wage increased to £6.31 per hour. We have also cut income tax, benefitting 2.2 million Scottish taxpayers and taking 224,000 Scots out of income tax altogether.

Scottish Independence

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the possible effects on the Scottish economy of Scotland continuing to use sterling after independence.

David Mundell: As the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander), said at this Dispatch Box yesterday, the only way to keep the pound as it is now is for Scotland to stay in the UK.
	It would be foolish for anyone to vote for independence on the basis that Scotland would keep the pound in a currency union, as many experts agree that this would not be in the interests of either Scotland or the United Kingdom.

Scottish Independence

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had on future pension arrangements in an independent Scotland.

David Mundell: I have regular discussions with industry bodies, unions, businesses and families right across Scotland about the impact of independence on future pension arrangements.
	Many have raised significant concerns about the Scottish Government’s proposals for pensions. They deserve answers in the White Paper later this month.

EU Institutions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

David Mundell: In the period described Scotland Office Ministers have undertaken the following visits to the European Commission and European Parliament:
	
		
			  Minister Number of visits to European Parliament Number of visits to European Commission 
			 (a) 2010-11 Secretary of State Michael Moore 1 1 
			 (b) 2011-12 None 0 0 
			 (c) 2012-13 Secretary of State Michael Moore 1 1

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the possible financial implications of opting out of each of the police and criminal justice measures in the third pillar of the EU treaties; and if he will make a statement.

David Mundell: On 9 July 2013, Official Report, columns 177-180, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), announced to Parliament that the Government intended to exercise the UK's opt-out under the Lisbon treaty and seek to re-join a package of 35 police and criminal justice measures which are in the UK's national interest. Following debates and votes in both Houses of Parliament the Prime Minister wrote to the President of the Council of Ministers on 24 July to provide formal notification that the Government has decided to exercise its right, provided for by article 10(4) of protocol 36 to the treaties, to opt out of all pre-Lisbon police and criminal justice measures.
	The Secretary of State for the Home Department has committed to providing Parliament with an impact assessment on the final list of measures that the UK will apply to re-join. This will be done in good time ahead of the second vote on this matter and contain all relevant information.

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in his Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office is headed by a director rather than a permanent secretary. Scotland Office officials are in direct and frequent contact with the European Commission through a variety of means. In the period described, the director and the four next most senior civil servants made the following number of visits to the European Commission's offices in Brussels:
	
		
			  Number of visits to European Commission's offices in Brussels 
			 (a) 2010-11 1 
			 (b) 2011-12 0 
			 (c) 2012-13 1

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for Britain to leave the EU in his Department's area of responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

David Mundell: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds) on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Electoral Register

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 22 October 2013, Official Report, column 102W, how many electors and what proportion of the electorate have been registered in each parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland to date.

Andrew Robathan: As of 24 October, the numbers registered during the canvass process in each constituency were as follows:
	
		
			 Constituency Estimated eligible electorate (2011 census) Number registered Proportion of estimated eligible electorate 
			 Belfast East 74,042 53,109 72.62 
			 Belfast North 80,191 53,393 67.82 
			 Belfast South 92,532 52,043 62.58 
			 Belfast West 70,755 44,496 62.68 
			 East Antrim 71,113 52,524 73.69 
			 East Londonderry 77,787 56,177 72.21 
			 Fermanagh and South Tyrone 78,746 59,234 75.42 
			 Foyle 76,740 52,130 68.01 
		
	
	
		
			 Lagan Valley 79,428 59,416 74.50 
			 Mid Ulster 74,537 56,251 75.57 
			 North Antrim 84,628 64,625 75.55 
			 North Down 71,946 53,599 74.80 
			 Newry and Armagh 85,137 61,899 72.76 
			 South Antrim 75,934 55,987 73.61 
			 South Down 82,269 59,160 72.21 
			 Strangford 70,409 53,900 76.30 
			 Upper Bann 90,403 67,285 74.02 
			 West Tyrone 69,247 51,213 74.04 
			 Total 1,405,844 1,006,441 71.59 
		
	
	A breakdown of these figures by ward has been published on the website of the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland:
	www.eoni.org.uk
	where updated statistics will also be made available.

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for Britain to leave the EU in her Department's area of responsibility; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W, to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds). The Department has not made any plans for the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

WALES

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the possible financial implications of opting out of each of the police and criminal justice measures in the third pillar of the EU treaties; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Crabb: On 9 July 2013, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), announced to Parliament that the Government intended to exercise the UK's opt-out under the Lisbon treaty and seek to rejoin a package of 35 police and criminal justice measures which are in the UK's national interest, Official Report , columns 177-80. Following debates and votes in both Houses of Parliament, the Prime Minister wrote to the President of the Council of Ministers on 24 July to provide formal notification that the Government has decided to exercise its right, provided for by article 10(4) of protocol 36 to the treaties, to opt out of all pre-Lisbon police and criminal justice measures.
	The Secretary of State for the Home Department has committed to providing Parliament with an impact assessment on the final list of measures that the UK will apply to rejoin. This will be done in good time ahead of the second vote on this matter and contain all relevant information.

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for Britain to leave the EU in his Department's area of responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

David Jones: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds) on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W. The Department has not made any plans for the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces Personnel

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what change there has been in the number of armed forces personnel in (a) Wales and (b) each other nation and region of the UK since May 2010.

Mark Francois: Information held by the Ministry of Defence on the national and regional distribution of UK regular forces by stationed location in the UK since April 2010 is presented in the following table. As we work towards Future Force 2020 from the July 2013 position shown in the table, we anticipate maintaining a broadly similar force distribution in Wales and Northern Ireland, with small decreases of around 200 stationed regulars in each country. In Scotland, we are planning for an increase to around 12,500 by 2020.
	
		
			   April 2010 April 2011 April 2012 July 2013 
			 United Kingdom  166,100 161,790 156,970 147,450 
			  England 146,950 142,860 139,260 131,260 
			  Wales 2,930 2,820 2,780 2,590 
			  Scotland 12,080 12,090 11,190 11,120 
			  Northern Ireland 4,140 4,010 3,740 2,480 
			       
			 England—by region North East 1,450 1,420 1,400 1,340 
			  North West 2,310 2,100 2,160 1,940 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 15,230 15,110 15,600 14,680 
		
	
	
		
			  East Midlands 9,670 9,080 8,420 8,510 
			  West Midlands 7,200 6,900 6,570 6,230 
			  East of England 18,700 18,210 17,350 14,930 
			  London 5,730 6,020 5,400 4,970 
			  South East 44,860 42,490 43,330 41,540 
			  South West 41,800 41,540 39,040 37,130 
			 Notes: 1. A regional breakdown within country for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is not held. 2. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. 3. Totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not equal the sums of their rounded parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. 4. Figures are for UK regular forces (including both trained and untrained personnel), and therefore exclude Gurkhas, Full-time reserve service personnel and mobilised reservists. 5. Further information on the stationed location of service personnel, both in the UK and globally, can be found in “Statistical Series 2 —Personnel Bulletin 2.03—Service & Civilian Personnel” which can be found at the following address: http://www.dasa.mod.uk/publications/personnel/combined/service-and-civilian-personnel-bulletin/2013/2013.pdf

Army: Germany

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 30 October 2013, Official Report, column 473W, on army: Germany, what funding other than that provided to local schools will be provided as a result of the re-basing to the local authorities in which (a) Dalton Barracks, Abingdon, (b) Kendrew Barracks, Cottesmore and (c) Imjin Barracks, Gloucester are situated.

Andrew Murrison: No additional Defence funding will be provided to the local authorities as a result of rebasing.

Belize

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his plans for the British Army Training Support Unit Belize are.

Mark Francois: The British Army has trained in Belize for many years through the British Army Training Support Unit Belize (BATSUB).
	In line with the drawdown in Afghanistan and as we reset for contingent operations, the Army has made plans for a limited increase in training in Belize from 2014, focused on light role infantry company level.
	We remain grateful for the continued support of the Belizean Government and the Belizean Defence Force for the training that is delivered through BATSUB.

Mediterranean Sea

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the recent humanitarian crisis and loss of life in the Mediterranean sea, what part the Combined Maritime Forces are playing to prevent further loss of life.

Mark Francois: holding answer 4 November 2013
	The Combined Maritime Forces is a multilateral naval partnership based in Bahrain which comprises the following three task forces:
	Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) which promotes maritime security;
	Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151) which disrupts piracy and armed robbery at sea; and
	Combined Task Force 152 (CTF 152) which promotes regional maritime security in the Arabian Gulf.
	Together these Task Forces operate in the Red sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian ocean, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Gulf. They do not have a role in the Mediterranean sea.

Military Aircraft

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many incidents of laser pen attacks on military aircraft were recorded in the last five years.

Mark Francois: There have been 162 laser related events on military aircraft recorded in the last five years. It is not possible to determine whether or not laser pens were responsible for each incident.

Military Exercises

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to design a training package to prepare UK forces for contingency operations from 2015.

Mark Francois: As the hon. Member will recall from his own career in the armed forces, we have always planned for a broad range of standing tasks and contingent operations. All of the training undertaken within the armed forces contributes to our ability to deliver appropriately trained personnel and force elements at readiness in the right place and at the right time.

Public Records: Northern Ireland

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2013, Official Report, column 483W, how many files held at Swadlincote his Department has made available to (a) the Historical Enquiries Team and (d) the Da Silva Review.

Mark Francois: holding answer 4 November 2013
	The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I can confirm that files held at Swadlincote have been, and will continue to be, considered on a case by case basis for relevance in connection with investigations by the Historical Inquiries Team and other investigatory bodies. A number of files were recalled in response to a request for evidence from Sir Desmond De Silva in connection with his Review, and relevant information from these files was provided.

Reserve Forces

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the £1.8 billion allocated for the improvement of reserve forces has been spent.

Philip Hammond: holding answer 5 November 2013
	The £1.8 billion budget for the Future Reserves programme is the planned spend over the life of the programme, to financial year (FY) 2021-22, and includes funding for items such as additional recruiting, training and spending on infrastructure and new equipment; it also includes provision for paid leave and pension entitlements, from 2015, for reservists. Across financial years 2012-13 and 2013-14 so far we have spent around 10% of the budget. The actual spend will increase across the life of the programme as the number of serving reservists grows.

Shipping

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any jobs will be lost as a result of the decision to sell the two charter vessels procured under the Strategic Sealift Service private finance initiative.

Philip Dunne: The movement of cargo by sea is primarily provided through the private finance initiative (PFI) strategic sealift service. The review of the Ministry of Defence's strategic sealift requirement in autumn 2011, concluded that better value for money would be achieved if the number of vessels contracted as part of this PFI was reduced from six to four. This reduction became effective on 27 April 2012.
	Under the PFI agreement all six vessels are owned and operated by Foreland Shipping. Any reduction in manpower that may result from the decision to reduce the number of vessels is a matter for Foreland Shipping.

Strategic Defence and Security Review

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what preparatory work is being undertaken in anticipation of the next Strategic Defence and Security Review; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Hammond: Responsibility for the next Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) lies with the Cabinet Office. The Government's priority remains implementing the important decisions made in 2010, but early preparatory work has begun across Whitehall for the next SDSR. As part of this, the Ministry of Defence is undertaking a programme of research and activity to examine how the future strategic context has changed since 2010, to examine policy options in response and to test the continued validity of Future Force 2020. This work is designed to build an evidence base that will support decision-making in 2015, and is being closely co-ordinated with other Government Departments, international partners and external experts.

Type 26 Frigates

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what unmanned aerial system capability the Type 26 will have;
	(2)  when the main components which make the Type 26 were agreed; who agreed them; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Dunne: The Type 26 Global Combat Ship programme comprises a joint BAE Systems and Ministry of Defence team. It is currently in its assessment phase evaluating the capability, availability and support options, as is the standard practice with equipment projects. The final design, equipment fit and build programme will not be set until the main investment decision has been taken, expected to be around the middle of this decade.

Type 26 Frigates

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what function the Type 26 will perform (a) strategically and (b) operationally;
	(2)  what littoral capability the Type 26 will have.

Philip Dunne: The Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2010 decided to merge the two classes of Future Surface Combatant, previously known as the C1 and the C2 variants, into the Type 26 Global Combat Ship (GCS).
	The Type 26 GCS programme combines the advantages of both variants to offer a specialist, anti-submarine capable frigate along with a general purpose frigate based on the same hull design. The T26 GCS will deliver a multi-role platform, designed for joint and multinational operations across the full spectrum of warfare, including complex combat operations, maritime security operations such as counter piracy, as well as humanitarian and disaster relief work around the world and will be able to operate in both littoral and open ocean environments. The T26 GCS programme is currently in its assessment phase, with the main investment decision expected around the middle of this decade.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bovine Tuberculosis

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his contribution of 10 October 2013, Official Report, column 282W, on bovine tuberculosis, what evidential basis he used to state that there has been a reduction in badger numbers in areas other than those where the cull is taking place.

George Eustice: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson), was referring to the pilot areas in Gloucestershire and Somerset in his answer to the hon. Member for St Ives (Andrew George).

Bovine Tuberculosis

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information has been provided to his Department by staff of Woodchester Park in respect of changes in the badger population at that establishment and its associated facilities.

George Eustice: holding answer 1 November 2013
	Data was provided in 2011 and is available online at
	http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu& Module=More&Location=None&ProjectID=12021
	During the 24 years of study (1982 to 2007), the resident adult badger population at Woodchester Park exhibited a rapid increase in growth, followed by a period of some stability and a subsequent decline in numbers.
	Further interim information from 2009-13 was provided in summary form in early October 2013. The information shows the number of animals caught were198 in 2009, 166 in 2010, 149 in 2011 and 150 in 2012. A value for 2013 could not be provided as trapping has not finished this year. The figures provided are crude indices of annual abundance but they are not population estimates.
	No population estimates have been made as part of the Badger Vaccination Deployment Project.

Charities Act 2006

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what reports his Department has laid before each House of Parliament pursuant to section 70(9) of the Charities Act 2006 in 2012-13.

Dan Rogerson: DEFRA has not laid any reports before each House of Parliament pursuant to section 70(9) of the Charities Act 2006 in 2012-13.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Nuclear Reactors

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the potential use of thorium in nuclear reactors.

Michael Fallon: DECC is aware of the potential of thorium as a nuclear fuel and thorium fuel cycles fall within the scope of the Department's analysis of future nuclear scenarios.
	The UK is actively involved in thorium cycle research through organisations such as the National Nuclear Laboratory and the UK Research Councils' Energy programme. It has drawn on the expertise of these to model nuclear scenarios that include the use of thorium. These are not exhaustive, but a current overview is presented in the document “Nuclear Energy Research and Development Roadmap: Future Pathways”, which is available from:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nuclear-energy-research-and-development-roadmap-future-pathways
	Amongst its conclusions are the expectations thorium reactors would be subject to the same fuelling limitations in roll-out as fast reactors, in which the rate of commissioning is constrained by the rate of production of start-up fuel from the existing reactor fleet.
	Thorium fuels are also likely to differ from, uranium fuels in their waste characteristics, including their radiological properties and the amounts of heat they generate. These waste characteristics will vary with the type of reactor in which thorium fuels are used and individual systems may offer significant advantages or barriers to the waste's management and final disposal. Further analysis and fuel cycle modelling will be necessary to understand the implications on waste management and disposal of using thorium fuels.

Energy Supply

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of public support of the consumer cost of decarbonisation of the UK's energy supplies.

Gregory Barker: The Department has made no specific assessment of public support for the consumer cost of decarbonisation of the UK's energy supplies.
	The Department regularly monitors public attitudes in relation to key policies. Full results are available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-attitudes-tracking-survey

Floods

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on the substations in England and Wales identified as having significant likelihood of river and tidal flooding.

Gregory Barker: The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Michael Fallon), has met with the Minister for Government Policy, my right hon. Friend the Member for West Dorset (Mr Letwin) to assess the resilience of the energy sector, including substations, to a range of risks, including river and coastal flooding.
	Officials from DECC are working with officials from other Government Departments, including DEFRA and the Environment Agency, to undertake a review of the resilience of energy assets, including key substations, to a coastal flooding event on the east coast. The review will identify if any critical energy assets which are vulnerable to coastal flooding and, where necessary, consider appropriate measures to ensure that such assets are adequately protected.

Fuel Poverty

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what projection his Department has made of the change in the number of people living in fuel poverty in the UK over the next 12 months.

Gregory Barker: DECC have recently announced the intention to adopt the new Low Income High Costs (LIHC) indicator to measure fuel poverty in England, based on the recommendations from Professor Hills' independent review.
	The number of households in fuel poverty in England is projected to remain at a similar level in 2012 before increasing marginally in 2013. The aggregate gap is projected to increase from £1 billion in 2011, to £1.2 billion in 2013. Details are provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of fuel poor households (thousand) Aggregate Fuel Poverty Gap: 2011 prices (£ million) 
			 2011 2,390 1,047 
			 2012 (projected for) 2,396 1,126 
			 2013 (projected for) 2,404 1,188

Fuel Poverty

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of privately rented households were in fuel poverty in the latest period for which figures are available.

Gregory Barker: DECC have recently announced the intention to adopt the new Low Income High Costs (LIHC) indicator to measure fuel poverty, based on the recommendations from Professor Hills' independent review. Under this new proposed measure, there were around 782,000 households from the private rented sector living in fuel poverty in 2011. This represents 21% of all private rented households.

Green Deal Scheme

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of progress made by the UK towards achieving the Gone Green energy demand scenario.

Gregory Barker: The “Gone Green” scenario is an electricity demand scenario produced by National Grid, not a Government target. Therefore the Government has not made an assessment of achievement against this scenario. The Government's latest assessment of performance against UK emissions reduction targets was published in September 2013 in DECC's Updated Energy and Emissions projections ,see:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/updated-energy-and-emissions-projections-2013
	Projections of electricity demand under current firm and funded policies are also available in Annex C of the report:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/254828/Annex-c-final-energy-demand-2013.xls

Natural Gas: Storage

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the net consumer welfare for supported gas storage under the (a) stressed scenario and (b) Gone Green scenario using hurdle rates of (i) 13 per cent and (ii) 8 per cent:
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect on energy intensive users of supported gas storage as identified by Redpoint's report on the impact of gas market interventions on energy security;
	(3)  what the cost to the public purse was of the impact of gas market interventions on energy security commissioned by his Department;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of gas prices paid by consumers with supported storage identified by Redpoint in its report to his Department, published on 9 July 2013.

Michael Fallon: We published the consultant's report, commissioned to analyse the costs and benefits of three potential interventions, on September 4, at the time Government's decision not to take any of these interventions forward was announced.
	The report includes an assessment of the impacts of each of the interventions, under the (a) stressed scenario and (b) Gone Green scenario using hurdle rates of (i) 13% and (ii) 8% for consumer welfare, as well as that for suppliers and storage operators. The assessment of the impacts on consumer welfare includes the impact on the retail cost of gas. However, no further assessment was made of the second order impacts on the public purse, or on the distribution of these impacts between particular consumers. The modelled impacts are summarised on pages eight and nine of the report, which is available to download from the URL below:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gas-security-policy-assessment

Staff

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many full-time equivalent staff of his Department have been working on (a) new nuclear and (b) energy efficiency in each of the last five years; and how much working time he has spent on each such matter in the last 12 months.

Michael Fallon: The information is as follows:
	
		
			 New nuclear 
			  FTE civil servants in new nuclear over last five years 
			 2009-10 (1)— 
			 2010-11 20.8 
			 2011-12 17 
			 2012-13 19 
			 2013-14 23 
			 (1) Data not available. 
		
	
	
		
			 Energy efficiency 
			  FTE civil servants working on energy efficiency over the last five years 
			 2009-10 (1)— 
			 2010-11 85.1 
			 2011-12 143.5 
			 2012-13 157.1 
			 2013-14 147.6 
			 (1) Data not available. 
		
	
	Ministers, including the Secretary of State, have worked with stakeholders on this area as a priority.

Sunningdale Park

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how often his Department has used Sunningdale Park for Civil Service events since May 2010; what the nature of each such event was; and what the cost of each such event was.

Gregory Barker: The Department cannot access this information directly from our accounting system, and providing it would incur disproportionate cost.

CABINET OFFICE

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in his Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: Details of visits made by Ministers in my Department are published on a quarterly basis at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-with-external-organisations-april-to-june-2013
	Details of visits made by civil servants at director general level and above are published on a quarterly basis at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-permanent-secretaries-meetings-with-external-organisations-2013

Government Departments: Autism

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which Government departments include autism awareness in their (a) equality and diversity training and (b) single equality schemes.

Francis Maude: Civil service learning provides an introduction to diversity and equality. Managers also have access to disability awareness training. Further details of training offered by Departments are not held centrally. Departments are individually accountable for setting and publishing equality objectives. This information is not held centrally.

Job Creation

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many new jobs created have gone to (a) UK and (b) non-UK citizens in the last three years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter form Nick Hurd, dated November 2013:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business Innovations and Skills how many new jobs created have gone to (a) UK and (b) non-UK citizens in the last three years. 174512
	Information regarding jobs created is not available. As an alternative, the Labour Force Survey (LFS) provides estimates of people in employment and the net annual change. The LFS collects information on the nationality of respondents and this has been used to measure UK and non-UK citizens. Estimates for the last three years on this basis are in the table.
	Estimates of employment by nationality are published each quarter as part of the Labour Market Statistical Bulletin, found via the following link:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-statistics/index.html
	
		
			 Employment levels aged 16 and over, by nationality. April to June, each year. Not seasonally adjusted 
			 Thousand 
			  Total in employment(1) UK national Non-UK national 
			  Level Annual change Level Annual change Level Annual change 
			 2010 28,901 — 26,501 — 2,397 — 
			 2011 29,157 256 26,588 87 2,563 166 
			 2012 29,414 257 26,834 246 2,578 15 
			 2013 29,721 307 27,041 208 2,676 98 
			 (1) The total series includes people who do not state their nationality. The total levels series does not therefore equal the sum of the "UK" and "Non-UK" series. Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS)

Open Government Partnership

Paul Flynn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of organising and hosting the Open Government Partnership summit in London on 31 October and 1 November 2013; which countries were invited to attend; which accepted and which declined; if he will publish all contributions from all participants on his departmental website without redaction; which hon. Members were invited to participate; what steps he plans to make to advertise the public availability of material from the summit; and what provision was made for access to the summit for members of the general public.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office budgeted £1.6 million to cover the costs of organising and hosting the Open Government Partnership summit. Final total costs will be published in due course.
	94 Governments and observer delegations were invited to attend the OGP summit, including all members of the Open Government Partnership. A list of invitations and acceptances will shortly be available on the OGP website:
	http://www.opengovpartnership.org
	An open invitation was sent to Members of the House, and I invited all my Cabinet colleagues, as well as various Ministers and senior officials. Cabinet Office spoke to the Clerk of the PASC to draw the attention of Members of the Committee to the summit. Members of the public had the opportunity to register their interest in attending via the OGP website.
	Material from the summit—published without redaction (other than for copyright purposes)—including videos of some content, is available on the OGP website:
	http://www.opengovpartnership.org/
	The Guardian Public Leaders Network page:
	http://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/series/open-government-london-2013
	and YouTube:
	http://www.youtube.com/user/OpenGovPart
	The material has been publicised using social media and online.

Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration

Nigel Evans: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many cases have been referred to the Parliamentary Ombudsman in each of the last five years.

Francis Maude: Information about the number of cases that have been referred to the Independent Parliamentary Ombudsman in each of the last five years is included in the Ombudsman's annual reports to Parliament. Copies of annual reports are available in the Libraries of the House, and are also available on the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's website at:
	http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/about-us/publications/annual-reports

Unemployment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people were unemployed in (a) May 2010 and (b) the most recent period for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people were unemployed in (a) May 2010 and (b) the most recent period for which figures are available. 174422
	Estimates of unemployment are derived from the ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS). Since the LFS is a three-monthly survey, the reference period April to June 2010 has been used to provide May 2010 estimates. The most recent period for which figures are available is the three-month period June to August 2013.
	
		
			 Unemployment (all aged 16 and over) seasonally adjusted June to August 2013 April to June 2010 
			 Level 2,487,000 2,471,000 
			 Rate (percentage) 7.7 7.9 
		
	
	Estimates of unemployment are published monthly as part of the Labour Market Statistical Bulletin, found via the following link:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-statistics/index.html

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Distressed Retail Property Task Force

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects the distressed retail property task force to make its final recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: The taskforce expect to publish their report by the end of November. The Government will look forward to considering its recommendations.

EU Institutions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: The information is as follows:
	2010-11;
	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Noble Lady, Baroness Hanham attended an ‘Informal Meeting of the Ministers in charge of Cohesion Policy’ in Liege.
	2011-12 and (c) 2012-13;
	There have been no ministerial visits to the European Commission or European Parliament.

Housing: Derelict Land

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the proportion of future housing demand that can be met by building on brownfield sites.

Nicholas Boles: holding answer 5 November 2013
	My Department will be publishing our latest analysis of the National Land Use Database in due course.

Recreation Spaces: Greater London

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the criteria are for designation of a local green space; and which body or local authority has responsibility for deciding such designations in respect of (a) Hyde Park, (b) Kensington Gardens, (c) the Regent's Park, (d) Battersea Park, (e) the Green Park, (f) St James's Park, (g) Richmond Park and (h) Primrose Hill.

Nicholas Boles: The National Planning Policy Framework set outs in paragraphs 76 and 77 criteria for designating a local green space. There will also be planning practice guidance available via the new online resource. The designation is for use in local and neighbourhood plans and therefore in London, irrespective of the green area concerned, the body responsible for deciding designations will normally be the relevant London borough (or London boroughs where the area concerned involves more than one local planning authority). Where a neighbourhood plan is in preparation a designation would be brought forward by the qualifying body preparing the plan.
	The local green space designation is essentially a local planning policy, and is not connected to the ownership or management of the land as such.

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for the UK to leave the EU in his Department's area of responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds), on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W.
	The Department has not made any plans for the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

Urban Areas

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the recommendations of the Grimsey review into town centres; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: The "Grimsey Review—An Alternative Future for the High Street" was an independent piece of work which was commissioned and led by Bill Grimsey.
	The Grimsey review is one of many reports published, and we welcome all contributions to the debate on the future of high streets.
	The Government recognises the important role that high streets and town centres play in today's society and has delivered a series of initiatives to revitalise them. This includes changes to business rates, parking guidance, planning and funding for over 350 town teams of which 27 were also Portas pilots.

Urban Areas

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which organisations, panels, working groups, task forces and partnerships have been established by his Department with a brief to (a) regenerate town centres, high streets and markets and (b) provide support for the retail sector; and what the membership and terms of reference of such bodies are.

Brandon Lewis: The Working Group on Retail Markets was established in 2009, in response to the DCLG Select Committee report on Traditional Retail Markets. It covers issues involving retail markets in England. Current membership includes representatives from a wide range of markets organisations including National Association of British Market Authorities (which represents a number of local authority run markets and private market operators), the National Market Traders Federation, social enterprise markets, the Local Government Association and a number of Government Departments whose policies impact on markets. A copy of the membership and original terms of reference has been placed in the Library of the House.
	The Future High Streets Forum was established in March 2013 to provide joint business and government leadership to better enable our high streets and town centres to adapt and compete in the face of changing consumer and social trends. Its Terms of Reference and membership can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/policy-advisory-groups/future-high-streets-forum
	The Department for Communities and Local Government has not established any groups focused solely on providing support for the retail sector. Broader policy and support for the retail sector is led by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills.

Wind Power: Planning Permission

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Totnes of 9 July 2013, Official Report, column 193W, on land use: agriculture, what assessment he has made of the potential risk of conflict between planning applications for onshore wind infrastructure and those parts of the National Planning Policy Framework which underline the recognition of the character and beauty of the countryside.

Kris Hopkins: The National Planning Policy Framework provides strong protections for the natural environment and underlines that planning decisions should recognise the character and beauty of the countryside. The Framework is also clear that local planning authorities should design their policies to ensure that adverse impacts of renewable energy developments are addressed satisfactorily, including cumulative landscape and visual impacts. To help ensure planning decisions reflect the environmental balance in the Framework we issued new planning practice guidance for renewable and low carbon energy in July.

TREASURY

Banks

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent assessment is of the future of Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest and Ulster Banks; and if he will make a statement.

Sajid Javid: holding answer 5 November 2013
	I refer the hon. Member to the Chancellor's written statement of 1 November 2013, Official Report, columns 61-62WS, and the Treasury publication "RBS and the case for a bad bank: the Government's Review"
	https://www.gov.uk/government/news/rbs-bad-bank-review-published

Banks: Fees and Charges

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to curb excessive bank fees.

Sajid Javid: The Government is clear that consumers must be able to easily access clear and transparent information about bank charges; have a reasonable opportunity to manage their account and control whether or not they incur charges. As a result, the Government has taken the following action:
	An agreement in November 2011 with the major current account providers to enable customers to control their account and to take action to avoid bank charges. Under the agreement alt customers have the option to receive text alerts where their balance falls below a certain level, with four million customers signed up by January 2013.
	On 1 April 2014, responsibility for consumer credit regulation will move from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to the new Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). A new, more robust regulatory system will help to deliver a well-functioning market for consumer credit.
	The Government has also acted to secure the introduction of a new seven-day switching service that launched in September, as recommended by the Independent Commission on Banking. This puts the pressure squarely back on the banks to offer a fair deal to their customers or risk losing them to a competitor.

Convention on the Protection of the European Communities' Financial Interests

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether she will publish her Department's analysis of the costs and benefits of opting out of Council Act 26, July 1995 drawing up the Convention on the protection of the European Communities financial interests; and if she will make a statement.

Nicky Morgan: Council Act 26, July 1995 drawing up the Convention on the protection of the European Communities financial interests is one of the measures subject to the UK's 2014 opt-out decision. The Convention established a common definition of fraud affecting EU expenditure and revenue, and sets out principles for co-operation and jurisdiction in the field of protecting the financial interests of the EU. As set out in Command Paper 8671, it is not one of the 35 measures within the scope of that decision that the Government intends to seek to rejoin.
	The Government has committed to providing Parliament with an Impact assessment on the final list of measures that the UK will apply to rejoin. This will be done in good time ahead of the second vote on this matter and contain all relevant information.

Corporation Tax

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to Table 11.6 of the corporation tax statistics published by HM Revenue and Customs on 30 August 2013, what aggregate sums were paid and how many companies were making payment in each band of £10,000 between £10,000 and £49,999 for each year.

David Gauke: Figures for the number of companies and the amount of corporation tax payable after set-offs are published in Table 11.6 of the HMRC corporation tax national statistics. The table classifies companies by amount of tax payable.
	A breakdown of the number of companies paying between £10,000 and £49,999, and the aggregate amount of tax paid by these companies, is given in the following table. This is a breakdown of Table 11.6 from the latest version of the corporation tax statistics, as published on 31 October 2013. The table covers company accounting periods ending in the financial years 2007-08 to 2011-12.
	
		
			 Corporation tax payable after set-offs by year of liability. Classified by size, financial years 2007-08 to 2011-12(1) 
			 Number: actual; amount (£ million) 
			  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Amount of tax payable Numbers Amount Numbers Amount Numbers Amount Numbers Amount Number Amount 
			 £10,000-£19,999 146,056 2,062 154,842 2,183 150,502 2,120 161,628 2,280 174,318 2,465 
			 £20,000-£29,999 55,021 1,342 57,144 1,386 54,347 1,318 59,185 1,434 65,245 1,583 
			 £30,000-£39,999 24,845 857 26,236 901 24,583 844 26,883 923 28,596 983 
			 £40,000-£49,999 14,990 670 14,496 647 13,438 600 14,674 654 15,807 705 
			 Total(2) 240,912 4,930 252,718 5,116 242,871 4,882 262,370 5,291 283,966 5,735 
			 (1) Figures correspond to company accounting periods ending in the financial years shown. (2) Total may not equal the sum of individual amounts due to rounding.

Credit

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to curb excessive default fees and charges across all credit products.

Sajid Javid: On 1 April 2014, responsibility for consumer credit regulation will transfer from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
	The FCA will require firms to treat their customers fairly and has proposed specific new rules to ensure firms lend responsibly, including checking whether borrowers can afford to repay loans sustainably and treating customers in financial difficulties appropriately. The FCA has a broad suite of powers to enforce breaches of its rules.
	The FCA has recently committed that it will consider carrying out a thematic review of market practice in relation to fees and charges, once regulatory responsibility for consumer credit has transferred to the FCA.

Financial Conduct Authority

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met senior representatives from the Financial Conduct Authority; what subjects he discussed with them; and if he will make a statement.

Sajid Javid: holding answer 5 November 2013
	Treasury Ministers and officials meet regularly with the Financial Conduct Authority to discuss relevant regulatory issues.
	As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Treasury's practice to provide details of all such discussions.

Infrastructure

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department has spent on administering the UK Guarantees scheme to date.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 1 November 2013
	The costs incurred in administering the scheme to date amount to a total of £103,829. The sum was used for legal services associated with the setting up of the scheme and the creation of necessary legal documentation.
	Any costs incurred through the signing of guarantees for projects, including legal services or technical advice procured by HM Treasury, will be borne by the issuer of the guaranteed debt in accordance with market practice.

Inheritance Tax

Bob Stewart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the current system of inheritance tax.

David Gauke: All tax policy is kept under review and any changes are considered as part of the Budget process.
	As announced on 11 February 2013, legislation will be included in Finance Bill 2014 to freeze the inheritance tax threshold (or nil-rate band) until 2017-18 at £325,000. This supersedes any previous announcements on the level of the threshold.

Interest Rate Swap Transactions

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Financial Conduct Authority about the exclusion of embedded interest rate swaps from its redress scheme.

Sajid Javid: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with, and receive representations from, a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Treasury's practice to provide details of all such representations.

Minimum Wage: Chelmsford

Simon Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) prosecutions and (b) cautions there have been for not paying the minimum wage in Chelmsford constituency since the introduction of the minimum wage.

David Gauke: The Government takes the enforcement of NMW very seriously and HMRC review every complaint that is referred to them, investigating the complaint and, in addition, carrying out targeted enforcement where we identify a high risk of non-payment of NMW.
	HMRC has never issued cautions for not paying the minimum wage. Where arrears due to non-payment of the minimum wage are identified, a formal notice of underpayment is sent to the employer.
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answers that I provided the right hon. Member for Tottenham (Mr Lammy) on 8 October 2013, Official Report, columns 152-155W. With the agreement of the Department for Business HMRC started considering prosecution for minimum wage offences from May 2006. HMRC does not keep statistics at constituency level. The following table contains details of the number of criminal prosecutions since that date, by location and the financial year in which the prosecution took place.
	
		
			  Number of prosecutions Employer location 
			 2007-08 2 London Torbay 
			 2008-09 5 Nottingham (2) 
			   Sheffield (2) 
			   Rotherham (l) 
			 2009-10 0 — 
			 2010-11 1 Liverpool 
			 2011-12 0 — 
			 2012-13 1 London

Minimum Wage: Lancashire

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in (a) Ribble Valley constituency and (b) Lancashire have been reported for paying less than the minimum wage in the last five years; and how many of those were prosecuted.

David Gauke: The Government takes the enforcement of NMW very seriously and HMRC review every complaint that is referred to them, investigating the complaint and, in addition, carrying out targeted enforcement where we identify a high risk of non-payment of NMW.
	HMRC has never reported businesses for not paying the minimum wage, because where arrears due to non-payment of the minimum wage are identified, a formal notice of underpayment is sent to the employer. HMRC does not capture complaints or the outcomes of its investigations by reference to Government regions or country. Its management information relates to the work of teams who are multi-located. Additionally, because it resources to risk, work relating to a specific geographical area is not always done by the NMW team based in that area.
	I refer the hon. Member to my answers to the hon. Member for Islington South and Finsbury (Emily Thornberry) on 23 April 2013, Official Report, column 815W, for the number of non-compliant employers in the UK for the period requested, and to the right hon. Member for Tottenham (Mr Lammy), 8 October 2013, Official Report, column 152W with regard to prosecutions.

National Insurance Contributions

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the number of employers with a liability to pay secondary class 1 national insurance contributions; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: holding answer 4 November 2013
	It is estimated that over 1.3 million employers are liable to pay national insurance contributions (NICs) at the secondary class 1 threshold.
	Estimates are based on a sample of employer's end of year returns for employees. The latest available year is 2010-11.
	From April 2014, every business, charity and Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) will be entitled to an annual "Employment Allowance" of £2,000 to reduce their liability for class 1 NICs.
	The allowance aims to reduce the barriers faced by small businesses, charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs which wish to grow by supporting them with the costs of employment. Up to 1.25 million employers will benefit, with over 90% of the benefit going to small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. As a result 450,000 small employers will no longer pay class 1 secondary NICs in 2014-15.
	Further Information about the scheme is published and available on:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-insurance-contributions-bill

Sovereignty: Scotland

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the Scottish Government's proposal for a currency union with the rest of the UK in the event of Scottish independence.

Danny Alexander: The only way to keep the pound as it is now is for Scotland to stay in the UK. No one should assume that an independent Scotland should continue to use the pound.
	It is highly unlikely that a currency union would be in the best interests of either an independent Scotland or the continuing UK.
	As the euro area has shown, currency unions require members pulling together in strong political and fiscal union, not pulling apart. Those who propose independence want to break the UK's successful political and fiscal union.
	An independent Scotland and the UK would have different and diverging economies and a one-size fits all monetary policy may not be desirable for either country. An oil price shock would have very different effects in Scotland compared with the rest of the UK.
	If there was any sign that a currency union lacked credibility, the financial markets would lose confidence in both members and borrowing costs would increase amid speculation of a break.

UK Asset Resolution

Ann Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases UK Asset Resolution has appointed LPA receivers to manage retail properties as a result of mortgage defaults by (a) number, (b) location, (c) value of properties and (d) current market value of such properties in each of the last five years.

Sajid Javid: UK Asset Resolution Limited (UKAR) is the holding company established to facilitate the orderly management of the closed mortgage books of both Bradford and Bingley (B&B) and Northern Rock Asset Management (NRAM) at arm's length from Government on commercial principles. The Government's interest in UKAR is managed by UK Financial Investments.
	UKAR will only appoint a Law of Property Act (LPA) receiver where a buy to let landlord is in arrears and has been unable to come to an acceptable and fair arrangement to recover the position. LPA's, once appointed, are engaged to act in the best interest of the customer and determine a fair sell or hold strategy independently from UKAR. Where tenants are in a property with a valid agreement, the term of the tenancy will be honoured. In cases where the mortgage can be returned to performing, receivership can be terminated and the property returned to the management of the borrower.
	The data requested in (a) and (b) is set out in table 1 following. UKAR does not hold data on (c) and (d) in the requested format.
	
		
			 Table 1 
			 Region 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 
			 Northern 224 141 117 177 49 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 212 96 102 160 93 
			 North West 756 209 295 206 193 
			 East Midlands 136 96 53 119 37 
			 West Midlands 183 92 73 77 34 
			 East Anglia 75 24 17 19 9 
			 South West 146 58 57 30 25 
			 South East 481 168 204 264 133 
			 Greater London 370 165 139 117 78 
			 Wales 155 112 83 42 91 
			 Scotland 25 5 0 1 2 
			 Northern Ireland 2 3 75 40 12 
			 Total 2,765 1,169 1,215 1,252 756

VAT

Ann Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many applications for refunds for what value of VAT under the tax-free shopping retail export scheme have been made in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what the nationality of claimants under the tax-free shopping retail export scheme has been in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the value to the UK economy of the tax-free shopping retail scheme in each of the last five years.

David Gauke: The information requested is not available.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

EU Institutions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: Foreign and Commonwealth Office ministers meet regularly with officials and members of European institutions at one-to-one meetings and in the margins of other events throughout the world.
	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) and I attend meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) and the General Affairs Council (GAC) respectively in Luxembourg and in Brussels and have met European Commissioners and Members of the European Parliament in the margins of these meetings and bilaterally on a number of occasions.

EU Reform

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with (a) the President of the European Commission, (b) the President of the European Council and (c) EU heads of government about reform of the EU.

David Lidington: The Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and I have regular discussions on reform of the European Union with our counterparts from EU countries, and within the European Commission, including at meetings of the European Council and the Council of Ministers.

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in his Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: The Permanent Under Secretary (PUS) and the four Directors General (DG) in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have made several visits to Brussels since 2010.
	They have met a number of Commissioners and Commission officials during their visits, both bilaterally and in the margins of wider EU meetings. The number of visits to Brussels are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2010 6 
			 2011 5 
			 2012 6 
			 2013 9

India

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government has made to the Government of India on violence against Christians and their property.

Hugo Swire: The Indian Government has a range of policies and programmes to support religious minorities. However, incidents of discrimination and violence against minority communities in India, including Christians, do still occur.
	I raised issues affecting minority communities in India when I met the Indian Minister for Minorities, Mr K Rahman Khan, on 17 June. During my last visit to India on 21 and 22 March I discussed human rights and the treatment of minority communities with Indian human rights organisations. Our British high commissioner in Delhi also raised issues affecting minority communities when he met the Indian Minister for Minorities on 7 March.
	Officials at the British high commission in New Delhi maintain a regular dialogue with civil society organisations working on religious freedom across India.
	The UK will continue to engage the Indian Government on this important issue.

India

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to prevent the persecution of Christians in Orissa State in India.

Hugo Swire: The Indian Government has a range of policies and programmes to support religious minorities. However, incidents of discrimination and violence against minority communities in India, including Christians, do still occur.
	I raised issues affecting minority communities in India when I met the Indian Minister for Minorities, Mr K Rahman Khan, on 17 June. During my last visit to India on 21 and 22 March I discussed human rights and the treatment of minority communities with Indian human rights organisations. Our British high commissioner in Delhi also raised issues affecting minority communities when he met the Indian Minister for Minorities on 7 March.
	Officials at the British high commission in New Delhi maintain a regular dialogue with civil society organisations working on religious freedom across India.
	The UK. will continue to engage the Indian government on this important issue.

Pitcairn Islands

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to announce a decision on the Marine Conservation Zone application by the Pitcairn Islands Council; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: Work is currently underway to assess the economic and other impacts of establishing a no-take Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Pitcairn's waters. We shall need to consider carefully all the relevant factors, including the costs of such an initiative, particularly of effective enforcement, as these may be substantial. The Government is committed to working with the Pitcairn Islands Government and others to ensure the appropriate and sustainable management of Pitcairn's marine environment.

Pitcairn Islands

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received (a) for and (b) against the creation of the Marine Conservation Zone proposed by the Pitcairn Islands Council; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: In January 2012, a joint proposal to designate a no-take Marine Protected Area (MPA) within Pitcairn's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), was submitted to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office by the Pitcairn Island Council and the Pew Environment Group. The Government is currently assessing the economic and other impacts of establishing a no-take MPA in Pitcaim's waters. We are committed to working with the Pitcairn Islands Government to ensure appropriate and sustainable management of Pitcairn's marine environment.

Sudan

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on whether the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei has at present the capacity to carry out a disarmament programme in the Abyei area of Sudan.

Mark Simmonds: Along with other members of the UN Security Council, we have endorsed the African Union Peace and Security Council's call for Abyei to be a weapons-free zone as stipulated in the 2011 agreement on temporary arrangements for the administration and security of Abyei. We have called on the Government's of Sudan and South Sudan to take all necessary steps to ensure that Abyei is effectively demilitarised, including through disarmament programmes. The United Nation's Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) is mandated to work with communities and the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee to ensure full compliance by all parties. The UK is committed to supporting UNISFA's efforts to fulfil its mandate including through our most recent annual contribution of £12 million to the mission's budget.

Sudan

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will endorse the recent African Union Peace and Security Council call for implementation of a disarmament programme in the Abyei area of Sudan.

Mark Simmonds: Along with other members of the UN Security Council, we have endorsed the African Union Peace and Security Council's call for Abyei to be a weapons-free zone as stipulated in the 2011 agreement on temporary arrangements for the administration and security of Abyei. We have called on the Government's of Sudan and South Sudan to take all necessary steps to ensure that Abyei is effectively demilitarised, including through disarmament programmes. The United Nation's Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) is mandated to work with communities and the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee to ensure full compliance by all parties. The UK is committed to supporting UNISFA's efforts to fulfil its mandate including through our most recent annual contribution of £12 million to the mission's budget.

Sudan

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the UK will offer support to ensure that a disarmament programme in the Abyei area of Sudan is implemented.

Mark Simmonds: Along with other members of the UN Security Council, we have endorsed the African Union Peace and Security Council's call for Abyei to be a weapons-free zone as stipulated in the 2011 agreement on temporary arrangements for the administration and security of Abyei. We have called on the Government's of Sudan and South Sudan to take all necessary steps to ensure that Abyei is effectively demilitarised, including through disarmament programmes. The United Nation's Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) is mandated to work with communities and the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee to ensure full compliance by all parties. The UK is committed to supporting UNISFA's efforts to fulfil its mandate including through our most recent annual contribution of £12 million to the mission's budget.

Telephone Tapping

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on reports of interception of telephone and other messages in Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK.

Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and UK Ministers speak regularly to their US counterparts on global issues.
	It is the long standing policy of successive Governments not to comment on matters of intelligence.
	For further information, I refer to the statement made by the Secretary of State to the House on 10 June 2013, Official Report, columns 31-49.

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for the UK to leave the EU in his Department's area of responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds) on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W. The Department has not made any plans for the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

Yemen

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the resumption of direct flights between the UK and Yemen.

Hugh Robertson: Officials from the Department for Transport visited Yemen earlier this year to discuss aviation security. The outcome of this visit was a report, shared with the Yemenis, which set out a range of measures that would need to be considered as part of steps towards resumption of direct flights. Once those measures have been enacted, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) will speak to the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin).

EDUCATION

Academies

Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools with academy status have requested an amendment to their funding agreement to enable them to employ teachers without qualified teacher status.

Edward Timpson: The Education Funding Agency has received 24 requests from schools with academy status to amend their funding agreement to enable them to employ teachers without qualified teacher status.
	A revised funding agreement for new academies has been in operation since November 2012, which allows the employment of teachers without qualified teacher status.

Academies

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education under what circumstances his Department would review the funding agreements of academies and free schools.

Edward Timpson: Once signed, a funding agreement for an academy or free school can be amended only with the consent of both the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) and the academy trust. The academy trust may apply to the Secretary of State for Education to change its funding agreement, for example to change the age range or to enlarge the academy's premises. In certain circumstances the Secretary of State may also encourage academy trusts to amend their funding agreements.

Academies

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the names of every (a) academy chain, (b) individual academy school, (c) free school chain and (d) individual free school that is currently being investigated by the Education Funding Agency for financial irregularities.

Edward Timpson: The Department will not publish details of on-going investigations as this would prejudice the outcome of those investigations. However, the Education Funding Agency publishes reports into all investigations it undertakes and will do so in due course for any current investigations.

Al-Madinah School

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  when officials in his Department were first made aware that the Al-Madinah Free School (a) had appointed staff without appropriate qualifications and experience, (b) had operated without a designated Principal in the summer of 2012, (c) was not meeting safeguarding requirements, (d) had not identified which of its pupils had special educational needs, (e) was delivering an unacceptably poor standard of education and (f) was delivering teaching of unacceptable quality;
	(2)  when he was first made aware that the Al-Madinah Free School (a) had appointed staff without appropriate qualifications and experience, (b) had operated without a designated principal in the summer of 2012, (c) was not meeting safeguarding requirements, (d) had not identified which of its pupils had special educational needs, (e) was delivering an unacceptably poor standard of education and (f) was delivering teaching of unacceptable quality.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education was first contacted about problems at the school in July 2013. The Department began a wide ranging investigation and, as a result, we requested Ofsted to bring forward its planned inspection. This took place on 1 and 2 October. Department for Education (DfE) officials attended the Ofsted feedback meeting on the evening of 2 October and notified Ministers on 3 October that the school had failed on all aspects of the inspection.
	Lord Nash wrote to the Chair of the Al-Madinah Trust on 8 October setting out a series of requirements that the Trust must meet or risk termination of its funding agreement. The Trust made its final response to Lord Nash on 1 November and we are now giving careful consideration to the evidence the Trust has provided. The Al-Madinah school notified Department officials of the resignation of the former principal on 6 August 2013, during the school holidays. The Trust confirmed to Department officials on 18 September that it had appointed an interim principal.

Education: Young People

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of 17 year-olds are participating in education or training in the 2012-13 academic year under the terms of the Education and Skills Act 2008.

Matthew Hancock: Under the terms of the Education and Skills Act 2008 young people in England are required to continue in education or training; this can be through:
	1. full-time study at a school, college, or with a training provider;
	2. full-time work, self-employment or volunteering (all over 20 hours per week) combined with part-time education or training; or
	3. an apprenticeship.
	We do not currently publish statistics that are fully aligned to these categories. We are examining how data collection could be improved to provide an estimate of this group.

EU Institutions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock: There have been no visits by Ministers from the Department for Education to the European Commission or the European Parliament in 2010-11, 2011-12 or 2012-13. Education is primarily a matter for member states, so time is better spent improving standards here.

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in his Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock: There have been no visits to the European Commission by the permanent secretary or directors general in the Department for Education in 2010-11, 2011-12 or 2012-13. Education is primarily a matter for member states, so time is better spent improving standards here.

Free Schools

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the 16-19 free schools that are operating in the 2012-13 academic year; how many (i) 16 and (ii) 17 year-olds have enrolled in each such school; and for how many students each school has been funded by the Education Funding Agency.

Edward Timpson: The London Academy of Excellence, which opened in September 2012, was the only 16-19 free school operating in the 2012/13 academic year. In 2012/13, 192 16-year olds and three 17-year olds were enrolled at the school.
	The terms of the school's Funding Agreement stipulate that the school will be funded on the basis of its pupil estimates for the first two years of its operation. In each year where pupil estimates have been used, an adjustment to funding is applied in the following year to reflect any variation from the estimate that is greater or lower than 2.5% from actual pupil numbers. The Education Funding Agency funded for 220 students in the academic year 2012/13 and so will make an adjustment to the 2013/14 figure in accordance with the Funding Agreement.

Free Schools

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the findings of the Education Funding Agency investigation into Kings Science Academy, Bradford, whether he has any plans to alter the system of regulation of free schools.

Edward Timpson: The Department has already re-written the Academies Financial Handbook to provide a much sharper and clearer financial accountability system. The accountability system for academy trusts is even more robust than it is for maintained schools.

Free Schools: Bedfordshire

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether any (a) expenses, (b) allowances or (c) other payment from the public purse, excluding the project development grant, was received by the Barnfield Federation for handling the free school application for the former Fernwood Pre-Prep School in Bedfordshire.

Edward Timpson: The Trust did not receive any other payments apart from the Project Development Grant of £25,000 which covers all costs including expenses and allowances.

Free Schools: Lancashire

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations he has received from parents on the establishment of free schools in Lancashire.

Edward Timpson: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), receives many representations from parents about proposals to open new free schools. Recent representations about free schools in Lancashire have been from a range of interested parties, in relation to the proposal to establish the Burnley high school, which is due to open in September 2014.

GCSE

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department made of the potential effect on children of lower academic abilities, prior to the introduction of the Government's new policy on early entry.

Elizabeth Truss: Evidence published by the Department for Education in 2011 showed that, statistically, pupils who enter early do worse than pupils who do not, even when taking prior attainment into account. A report by Ofsted corroborated many of these concerns, raising issues with the impact of early entry on students.
	Examination results published in summer 2013 showed that schools have continued to enter pupils early for GCSEs and other qualifications, and are doing so in increasingly large numbers. This practice is increasing, despite the compelling evidence that it is not in pupils' best interests. The Government believes that it is right to take swift action in these circumstances, rather than to allow another year 11 cohort to be let down.
	The Department's announcement on early entry, and both reports, can be accessed at the following web address:
	www.gov.uk/government/news/changes-to-early-entry-at-gcse

GCSE

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to his announcement of 30 October 2013 on the use of GCSE results in school performance tables, whether (a) RAISEonline and (b) other data sets will use a student's best result for their data collation purposes.

Elizabeth Truss: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), announced that, with effect from 29 September 2013, only a student's first entry to a GCSE examination will count in their school's performance tables.
	This means that attainment indicators produced for the 2014 performance tables, due to be published in January 2015, will count the first entry to GCSEs in the subjects included in the English Baccalaureate. These indicators will also be used in other departmental data sets and RAISEonline.

Kings Science Academy

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  whether an internal review of King's Science Academy, Bradford made a recommendation that the school's finances should be referred to the police for investigation;
	(2)  whether financial irregularities at King's Science Academy, Bradford have been referred to the police for investigation;
	(3)  whether he has received a report from the police concerning financial irregularities at King's Science Academy, Bradford.

Edward Timpson: The only report to recommend taking findings to the police was the Department for Education's investigation. The Department referred the case to Action Fraud on 25 April. The Department also contacted West Yorkshire police who confirmed that the correct action was to refer to Action Fraud.
	The Department contacted Action Fraud on 5 September and in response Action Fraud stated that the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau had assessed the case but determined that there was not enough information to progress the case further.
	Action Fraud subsequently notified the Department on 1 November that they made a mistake in classifying the information provided. The error has been rectified by Action Fraud and West Yorkshire police have confirmed they are investigating. Action Fraud has apologised to the Department for this error.

Languages: Qualifications

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students have chosen to take a modern foreign language at (a) GCSE, (b) AS level and (c) A2 level in (i) Ribble Valley constituency and (ii) Lancashire since 2010.

David Laws: The requested information for GCSE and A-levels has been provided in the following tables. AS-level figures can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 GCSE results(1, 2, 3 )of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 and GCE A-level results(4) of students aged 16 to 19(5).()Years: 2009/10 to 2012/13(6). Coverage: Lancashire local authority(7) 
			  Number of students entered for any modern foreign language at GCSE Number of students entered for any modern foreign language at A-level 
			 2009/10 5,308 330 
			 2010/11 5,091 315 
			 2011/12 4,900 331 
			 2012/13 6,553 292 
			 (1) Includes GCSE Full Course and Vocational Single Award. (2) Includes attempts and achievements by these pupils in previous academic years. (3) Discounting has been applied. Where pupils have taken the same subject more than once, only the best grade is counted. (4) Includes A-levels only. (5) Covers students aged 16, 17 or 18 at the start of the academic year, ie 31 August. (6) Figures for 2012-13 are provisional, all other figures are final. (7) Covers local authority-funded schools; academies; free schools; city technology colleges; community and foundation special schools; hospital schools and further education sector colleges. Note: Where qualifications taken by a student are in the same subject area and similar in content, "discounting" rules have been applied to avoid double counting qualifications. Please see the "Technical Notes" in the Main text of the Statistical First Release available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-level-and-other-level-3-results-in-england-academic-year-2012-to-2013-provisional Source: 2012/13 Key Stage 4/5 attainment data (provisional) 
		
	
	
		
			 GCSE results(1, 2, 3) of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 and GCE A-level results(4) of students aged 16 to 19(5). Years: 2009/10 to 2012/13(6). Coverage: Ribble Valley parliamentary constituency(7) 
			  Number of students entered for any modern foreign language at GCSE Number of students entered for any modern foreign language at A-level 
			 2009/10 463 37 
			 2010/11 458 33 
			 2011/12 530 37 
			 2012/13 559 36 
			 (1) Includes GCSE Full Course and Vocational Single Award. (2) Includes attempts and achievements by these pupils in previous academic years. (3) Discounting has been applied. Where pupils have taken the same subject more than once, only the best grade is counted. (4) Includes A-levels only. (5) Covers students aged 16, 17 or 18 at the start of the academic year, ie 31 August. (6) Figures for 2012/13 are provisional, all other figures are final. (7) Covers local authority-funded schools; academies; free schools; city technology colleges; community and foundation special schools; hospital schools and further education sector colleges. Note: Where qualifications taken by a student are in the same subject area and similar in content, "discounting" rules have been applied to avoid double counting qualifications. Please see the "Technical Notes" in the Main text of the Statistical First Release available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-level-and-other-level-3-results-in-england-academic-year-2012-to-2013-provisional Source: 2012/13 Key Stage 4/5 attainment data (provisional)

Ofsted

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will instruct Ofsted to provide the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley with the information he has requested about significant incident notifications.

David Laws: Ofsted is a separate independent non-ministerial Government Department.
	The separation between the two Departments is intended to protect the independence of Ofsted's role as inspector and regulator.
	HM Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, will write to the hon. Member, and a copy of his response will be placed in the House Library.

Ofsted

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many notifications of significant incidents have been provided to Ofsted to date; what the date of each such incident was; whether a serious case review was performed of each such incident; what the age range of the child concerned in each such incident was; and on what date Ofsted was notified of the serious case review of each such incident.

David Laws: This question is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, will write to the hon. Member, and a copy of his response will be placed in the House Library.

Recruitment

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many new staff his Department has employed under (a) fixed-term contracts and (b) short-term contracts since May 2010.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education has employed 203 new staff under fixed-term contracts since May 2010. This figure includes short-term appointments, which are not recorded separately.

Teachers: Training

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications and enrolments there were for initial teacher training programmes in maths and physics in respect of (a) School Direct and (b) HE providers in 2013-14.

David Laws: The latest data on School Direct applications(1) shows that there were 5,820 mathematics applications and 1,150 physics applications at English providers.
	Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR) data(2) shows that 2,480 mathematics and 660 physics applications were made in 2013. This includes higher education providers as well as school-centred initial teacher training consortia.
	Other initial teacher training routes are available but records via these routes are not held centrally. The final position for 2013/14 enrolments and entrants will be published in the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) census on 26 November. That data will include not just the numbers recruited by GTTR and School Direct, but also the small number of providers who do not use GTTR to recruit and also projections of late, in-year starters.
	(1)http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/s/school%20direct%20managennent%20information%209% 20september%202013.pdf
	(2)http://www.gttr.ac.uk/documents/stats/2013_gttr_ applicant_figures_October_to_august_exceptional_ england.pdf

Teachers: Training

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a comparative assessment of (a) the initial teacher training numbers allocated by mode and subject to School Direct and other providers for admission in 2013-14 and (b) the targets identified by National College of Teaching and Leadership, indicating the proportion of over/under allocations against target in each category.

David Laws: Every year, the Department for Education calculates a broad estimate of the number of trainees needed in each subject. This estimate is set in the context of longer-term recruitment patterns and anticipated future need over a number of years.
	Based on the estimated number of places needed, the National College for Teaching and Leadership allocates teacher training places to accredited initial teacher training (ITT) providers and, from last year, to schools involved in the School Direct scheme (which have to be partnered with an accredited ITT provider).
	This year, as we do every year, we have allocated ITT places above the estimated number of trainees required. This helps us to ensure we train enough teachers, taking account of the likely level of recruitment in each subject. It is important to note that the allocation number is not a target and should not be regarded as one. If it is not reached, that does not mean that there will be a shortage in trainees.
	The full details of the 2013/14 targets for ITT can be found in the School Direct Management Information published on 9 September.
	The full details of the 2013/14 allocations for ITT can be found in the Initial teacher training allocations for academic year 2013 to 2014: final, published on 13 August.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Arms Trade: India

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value is of defence contracts with India for products made in Northern Ireland.

Michael Fallon: The value of defence export sales to India in 2012 provided by UK defence companies to UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) is estimated at £89 million. UKTI DSO does not hold information on what proportion of these sales involved products made in Northern Ireland.

Counterfeit Manufacturing: Clothing

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will meet the UK Fashion and Textile Association and the British Bridal Suppliers Association to discuss the problem of counterfeit bridalwear being imported into the UK.

Jo Swinson: The Minister with responsibility for Intellectual Property, my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Viscount Younger of Leckie), would be pleased to meet the associations. His office can be contacted at the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills to take this forward.

Cybercrime: Crime Prevention

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent progress he has made on promoting UK cyber exports.

Michael Fallon: In May of this year (2013) UK Trade and Investment's (UKTI) Defence and Security Organisation (DSO) published a cyber security exports strategy. This strategy sets out a number of actions which UKTI is actively pursuing, in conjunction with several other Government Departments, to assist UK industry to export cyber security capability.
	Implementation of the strategy is under way both in day-to-day assistance provided to UK industry by UKTI and through the Cyber Growth Partnership which the Minister for Universities and Science, my right hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Mr Willetts), co-chairs along with the CEO of BT Group. The Cyber Growth Partnership is currently overseeing work to prioritise target markets for cyber security exports and is developing joint action plans between Government and industry to assist exports into these markets.

Electrical Safety

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if his Department will issue clearer guidance to the manufacturers of electrical appliances on the point at which they should undertake a product recall.

Michael Fallon: When to undertake a product recall is a matter for both the manufacturer and Local Authority Trading Standards Services. Existing product safety legislation places clear requirements on manufacturers and distributors to inform the relevant Trading Standards Service if unsafe products have been made available to consumers and then to explain the action being undertaken by the manufacturer and distributors to address the problem. Trading Standards also have powers to impose actions should they consider those of the manufacturer to be inadequate. Each case is treated on an individual basis and there is a range of possible actions that can be taken. Recall is a last resort, and the appropriate solution is very much dependent on the particular circumstances. Further guidance would not be able to replace the assessment of individual circumstance. There is also a risk that it may interfere with the very clear message that the responsibility for the product is the manufacturer who is liable to civil damages should the product cause injury or damage to property.

Electrical Safety

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions his Department has held with stakeholders to discuss how to reduce deaths and injuries caused by electrical appliances which are the subject of a recall.

Michael Fallon: The Department participates in a committee organised by AMDEA (Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances), the trade association representing the manufacturers of home laundry, fridge-freezers and refrigerators. The committee reviews incidents, in particular those related to fire, and lessons that can be learned from them. The Committee includes officials from my Department, London Fire Brigade's Fire Investigation Team and Community Safety Team, Kent Fire Brigade and representatives from manufacturing industry. Discussions have included feedback on the experience of running recalls, which is the responsibility of the manufacturer.

EU Institutions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Swinson: Information about Ministers' overseas travel is now published quarterly and can be accessed via the following link.
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/bis-quarterly-publications-april-to-june-2012
	This Government is committed to being transparent and accountable. As set out in the Ministerial Code, Ministers must ensure that they always make efficient and cost effective travel arrangements.

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the possible financial implications of opting out of each of the police and criminal justice measures in the third pillar of the EU treaties; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Swinson: On 9 July 2013 the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), announced to Parliament that the Government intended to exercise the UK's opt-out under the Lisbon treaty and seek to rejoin a package of 35 police and criminal justice measures which are in the UK's national interest, Official Report, columns 177-80. Following debates and votes in both Houses of Parliament the Prime Minister wrote to the President of the Council of Ministers on 24 July to provide formal notification that the Government has decided to exercise its right, provided for by article 10(4) of protocol 36 to the treaties, to opt out of all pre-Lisbon police and criminal justice measures.
	The Secretary of State for the Home Department has committed to providing Parliament with an impact assessment on the final list of measures that the UK will apply to rejoin. This will be done in good time ahead of the second vote on this matter and contain all relevant information.

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in his Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Swinson: The Permanent Secretary visited the European Commission once in 2010; three times in 2011 (including BIS Board visit); once in 2012; twice in 2013 (to date).
	The Department does not hold centrally the information requested in relation to our individual directors general, and this could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, all the directors general visited the European Commission in Brussels, with the Permanent Secretary, as part of a BIS Board visit in November 2011.

Iron and Steel

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to respond formally to the EU Steel Action Plan.

Michael Fallon: The EU Steel Action Plan was published on 12 June 2013, and we welcomed it as a proactive, forward-thinking way to tackle issues in the sector. We submitted an Explanatory Memorandum to Parliament on 1 July 2013. HMG will work closely with the EU Commission and other member states as the recommendations are explored further.

Iron and Steel

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to increase demand in key steel producing sectors including the construction industry.

Michael Fallon: Many priority areas in the Government's work on Industrial Strategy (including Aerospace, Automotive, Oil and Gas, and Offshore Wind, as well as Construction) are about securing growth in key markets for steel as well as other materials.
	We are working with the steel onward supply chain (e.g. fabrication and forging) to explore whether there might be policy levers which Government can use to enable them to be more competitive and therefore stimulate more demand. For example, this Department is organising a round-table with major UK fabricators on 14 November 2013 to explore how the UK can win a bigger share of the offshore wind and oil and gas markets.
	HMG has also published a pipeline of public investment in infrastructure worth over £100 billion to 2020 and up to £79 billion of potential procurement opportunities across 18 sectors, so that UK industry can position itself to bid competitively for such projects.

Overseas Trade: India

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the New Zealand government on trade with India.

Michael Fallon: There have been no recent discussions between the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), and the Government of New Zealand on trade with India.

Public Houses

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effect on the rural economy of reforming the leased pub company model;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect on the rural economy of the closure of tied pubs.

Jo Swinson: The purpose of the Government's recent consultation, on establishing a statutory Code of Practice and an independent Adjudicator to govern the relationship between pub companies and their tenants, was to gather additional evidence to help us better assess the likely impact on the pubs industry of our proposals. We have not assessed the effect of the consultation proposals on the rural economy specifically but we received responses from stakeholders in both rural and urban areas of the country and will decide how to proceed following consideration of all the evidence submitted during the consultation. We will also take into account the independent analysis commissioned from London Economics of the impact on pub numbers and employment levels of the proposals in the consultation. Their analysis is based on data provided by pub companies, who were asked to ensure that the data was based on a geographical spread of pubs. The Government has not assessed the effect of tied pub closures on the rural economy but we understand the specific issues that rural economies face and the importance of rural pubs to their communities.

Public Houses

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on employment of offering a market rent only option to tied pubs.

Jo Swinson: The Government commissioned London Economics to provide an independent analysis of the impact on pub numbers and employment levels of the proposals in our consultation on Pub Companies and Tenants, including the mandatory free-of-tie option, which some campaigners refer to as the market rent only option. We intend to publish this analysis later this year.

Trade Missions: China

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many trade missions have been sponsored by his Department to China in the last 12 months; and what funding was allocated to each.

Michael Fallon: UK Trade and Investment has sponsored 12 outward missions to China from September 2012 to September 2013 with a total programme funding of £252,000.

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for the UK to leave the EU in his Department's area of responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W, to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds). The Department has not made any plans for the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the priority markets for the UKTI Defence and Security Organisation (DSO) are; and in which other countries UKTI DSO is supporting campaigns in 2013-14.

Michael Fallon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr Prisk), on 14 June 2012, Official Report, column 587W, for UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO)'s list of current Priority Markets.
	UKTI DSO is supporting commercial campaigns in 50 countries and can offer assistance in further markets, in accordance with its aim to help UK companies to export.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Consultants

Nigel Dodds: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission how much the Commission spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2010.

John Thurso: Expenditure on consultancy fees in the last three financial years has been:
	
		
			  Amount (£000) 
			 2010-11 114 
			 2011-12 534 
			 2012-13 780 
		
	
	The fees in 2012-13 include professional advice on catering procurement (£0.2 million) and the Savings programme (£0.2 million). The Savings programme will deliver savings of some £44 million over five years.
	An upgrade of the House Administration's accounting system in 2011-12 involved changes to data classifications so the figures from the earlier years may not be directly comparable.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time in accident and emergency was in (a) Greater Manchester, (b) the North West and (c) the UK in each of the last four years.

Jane Ellison: Information on waiting times in accident and emergency departments in Greater Manchester, the North West and England is shown in the following table. Waiting times for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are a matter for the devolved Administrations.
	
		
			 Mean and Median duration to departure for accident and emergency departments (A&E) (all types) in minutes from April 2008 to March 2012 
			  Greater Manchester(1) North West(2) England 
			  Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median 
			 2008-09 135.2 121 128.8 115 136.2 117 
			 2009-10 135.0 125 129.4 119 134.7 122 
			 2010-11 141.2 132 140.1 128 145.7 130 
			 2011-12 140.0 128 135.7 122 138.2 125 
			 (1) This is the area covered by the following Primary Care Trusts: Ashton, Leigh And Wigan PCT Bolton PCT Bury PCT Heywood, Middleton And Rochdale PCT Manchester PCT Oldham PCT Salford PCT Stockport PCT Tameside And Glossop PCT Trafford PCT (2) This is the area covered by North West Strategic Health Authority. Note: Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector Duration to Departure: The total amount of time spent in minutes in the A&E department. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival to A&E to the time when the patient is discharged from A&E care. This includes being admitted to hospital, died in the department, discharged with no follow up or discharged—referred to another specialist department. Source. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

Autism

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial support his Department makes available to local authorities to develop and share learning from innovative autism services.

Norman Lamb: Financial resources are made available to local authorities from a variety of sources within which they are able to prioritise according to local needs. This includes actions to improve local services for people with autism and making improvements in line with the statutory guidance linked to the 2010 Adult Autism Strategy. The National Autistic Society have proposed that there should be an innovation fund and we will consider this during the current review of the 2010 Adult Autism Strategy, which will be completed by the end of March 2014. Local authorities and their partners have recently completed a self-evaluation exercise to identify progress made in implementing the Adult Autism Strategy and highlight examples of good practice. This information is currently being analysed by Public Health England and will be published in due course.

Autism

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce outcomes for adults with autism into the health and social care outcomes frameworks.

Norman Lamb: There is already provision for outcomes for people with long term conditions, including autism, in the NHS Outcomes Framework. We are considering how we can include a new measure on autism in the 2015-16 Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework. There are currently no plans to include any more specific indicators on autism in the NHS Outcomes Framework.

Autism

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how his Department is ensuring clinical commissioning groups are aware of their obligations under the statutory guidance that accompanies the adult autism strategy;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the potential effect of local authority funding reductions on the implementation of the adult autism strategy.

Norman Lamb: As part of the review of the 2010 Adult Autism Strategy, local authorities and their partners including clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), have taken part in a self- evaluation exercise on progress made in implementing the strategy. The responses will be discussed by Health and Well Being Boards, of which CCGs are members, as evidence for local planning and health needs assessment strategy development. The Joint Commissioning Panel, supported by the Department, is due to publish shortly a practical guide for CCG, to support health professionals implementing relevant aspects of the Adult Autism Strategy guidance, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on Diagnostic Services.
	Financial resources are made available to local authorities from a variety of sources, within which they are able to prioritise according to local needs. This includes actions to improve local services for people with autism and making improvements in line with the statutory guidance linked to the 2010 Adult Autism Strategy. Local authorities and their partners have recently completed a self-evaluation exercise to identify progress made in implementing the Adult Autism Strategy. This information is currently being analysed by Public Health England and will be published in due course.

Death: Weather

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to reduce the number of elderly winter deaths in (a) Lancashire and (b) the UK in winter 2013-14.

Jane Ellison: The 2013 Cold Weather Plan for England was published on 25 October 2013 by Public Health England (PHE), working with the Department and NHS England. The Cold Weather Plan recommends actions to be taken throughout the year to reduce excess winter deaths, with specific actions during winter triggered by Met Office alerts. It is recognised that the elderly, particularly those over 75, are vulnerable to the health impacts of cold weather. The Cold Weather Plan is available at:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/cold-weather-plan-for-england-2013
	The Cumbria and Lancashire PHE centre is working to support the aims of the Cold Weather Plan, and has systems in place to alert local partners around the levels of action that need to be taken in line with the Cold Weather Alerts.
	In addition to work associated with implementing this year's Cold Weather Plan, the Department, working with Public Health England and NHS England, is urging people in vulnerable groups who are offered the flu vaccine, including those over 65, to protect themselves from flu this winter by ensuring they get vaccinated against the flu virus. The Department is also investing £500 million in NHS England over the next two years to make sure that accident and emergency departments are prepared for the inevitable winter pressures.
	The Department works with other Government Departments and many other campaign partners, including Age UK, to reduce the health impacts of cold weather, demonstrated in the ‘Get Ready For Winter’ website, hosted by the Met Office, which contains advice on all aspects of winter preparedness.
	www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/get-ready-for-winter

Death: Young People

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of the five principal causes of death in young people.

Daniel Poulter: The principle causes of death in young people up to the age of 19 (not including neonatal deaths), based on the deaths registered in England and Wales in 2012, and coded according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10), are:
	(1) External causes of morbidity (which includes accidents) (653 deaths).
	(2) Congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (362).
	(3) Neoplasms (351).
	(4) Diseases of the nervous system (273).
	(5) Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (256).

Dementia: Fylde

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will institute a pilot scheme in Fylde constituency to investigate the best new practices in tackling dementia.

Norman Lamb: As part of the Prime Minister's Challenge on Dementia, the Department is working with the Alzheimer's Society to create dementia-friendly communities across the country. A national recognition process for dementia-friendly communities was launched in September 2013 with tools and resources for the public and communities to help them become dementia-friendly.

Disability Aids: Children

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS wheelchair services are currently delivering the Child in a Chair in a Day model of wheelchair provision.

Norman Lamb: The Department does not collect this information centrally.

Disability Aids: Children

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of disabled children in (a) Shipley constituency, (b) Yorkshire and (c) England who have been referred to a non-NHS provider for mobility equipment in each of the last five years.

Norman Lamb: The Department does not collect this information centrally and has not made such an assessment.

Disability Aids: Children

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meeting requests he has received from charities and organisations working with disabled children; and how many of these he has (a) undertaken himself, (b) passed on to a Minister in his Department, (c) passed on to an official in his Department and (d) not responded to since September 2012.

Norman Lamb: The Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has received invitations from many organisations working with disabled children—including hospitals, charities, carers representatives and others. There would be a disproportionate cost to provide a full list of every organisation in that large group and what the response was.
	Several Health Ministers have met with Whizz Kidz, in the last 12 months—the most recent meeting was with me in September.

Disability Aids: Children

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many disabled children currently receive mobility equipment from the NHS on the day of assessment in (a) Yorkshire and (b) England.

Norman Lamb: The Department does not collect this information centrally. We understand that in Yorkshire, locally in-stock equipment can be issued on the day. Specialised seating and adaptations are custom made.

Disability Aids: Children

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect on children's health and wellbeing of providing paediatric mobility equipment taking into account their (a) medical and (b) non-medical needs; and what guidance he has issued on this matter.

Norman Lamb: No central assessment has been undertaken of this, or guidance issued. Clinical commissioning groups will have their own locally agreed criteria for wheelchairs for disabled children and have responsibility for ensuring the local health and wellbeing needs—particularly as identified by joint strategic needs assessments—are considered when drawing up commissioning plans. NHS England has commissioning responsibility for complex disability equipment.

Disability Aids: Children

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the NHS eligibility criteria for (a) powered wheelchairs, (b) e-motion wheels and (c) lightweight manual wheelchairs for disabled children in England.

Norman Lamb: No central assessment has been undertaken of this. Clinical commissioning groups will have their own locally agreed criteria for wheelchairs for disabled children and have responsibility for ensuring the local health and wellbeing needs—particularly as identified by joint strategic needs assessments—are considered when drawing up commissioning plans. NHS England has commissioning responsibility for complex disability equipment.

Disability Aids: Children

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of disabled children in (a) Shipley, (b) Yorkshire and (c) England who received from the NHS (i) powered wheelchairs with a riser, (ii) powered wheelchairs without a riser, (iii) lightweight manual wheelchairs and (iv) other powered mobility equipment in each of the last five years.

Norman Lamb: The Department does not collect information centrally on the number and types of mobility equipment issued by the national health service and has not made such an assessment.

Disability Aids: Children

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of disabled children in (a) Shipley, (b) Yorkshire and (c) England who have received from a non-NHS provider (i) powered wheelchairs with a riser, (ii) powered wheelchairs without a riser, (iii) lightweight manual wheelchairs and (iv) other powered mobility equipment in each of the last five years.

Norman Lamb: The Department does not collect information centrally on the number and types of mobility equipment issued by non-national health service providers and has not made such an assessment.

Eating Disorders: Lancashire

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) adults and (b) children have been recorded as having eating disorders in (i) Ribble Valley constituency and (ii) Lancashire in the last five years.

Norman Lamb: The information requested is not collected.

EU Institutions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: The information requested is as follows:
	The then Under-Secretary of State for Public Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Guildford (Anne Milton), attended the Employment, Social Policy and Health Council meetings in June and December 2010.
	The then Under-Secretary of State for Public Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Guildford (Anne Milton), attended the Employment, Social Policy and Health Council meeting in December 2011. In July 2011, the then Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), attended a meeting with Ministers of European Parliament and Commissioners.
	The then Under-Secretary of State for Public Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Anna Soubry), attended the Employment, Social Policy and Health Council meetings in June and December 2012. In December 2012, the then Under-Secretary of State for Public Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Anna Soubry), attended a meeting with Commissioner Borg.
	There have been a number of meetings between Ministers and Commissioner Borg in London and at Health informal meetings.

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in his Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: There were no visits made by the permanent secretary or the directors general of the Department to the European Commission in the years 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13. However, in July 2013, the permanent secretary for health met with the director general of health and consumers at the European Commission. There have been a number of meetings between senior departmental officials and senior Commission officials in London.

Food

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department has allocated to research on the long-term effects of low carbohydrate, high protein diets on cardiovascular disease.

Daniel Poulter: The usual practice of the Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including diet and nutrition, these applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and the national health service, value for money and scientific quality. In all disease areas, the amount of NIHR funding depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity.
	The NIHR is not currently funding research specifically on the long-term effects of low carbohydrate, high protein diets on cardiovascular disease.

Food

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 31 October 2013, Official Report, column 588W, on health: food, which organisations were invited to sign up to the standard fat reduction pledge and declined.

Jane Ellison: The companies currently signed to the Responsibility Deal saturated fat pledge, represent those able to sign by the date the pledge was announced (26 October). We will continue to encourage sign-up from the widest possible range of companies.

Health: Organised Crime

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the public health impact of gang and youth violence; and what steps the Government is taking to tackle it.

Jane Ellison: Gang violence has a devastating impact that can be seen in the health and wellbeing of the young people who are involved and the communities that they live in. There is a cross-government programme to tackle gang and youth violence, which includes a focus on the public health impact of violence. As part of this work, Public Health England chairs a 'Youth Violence and Health' working group, which drives work to improve the local public health and national health service response to gang and youth violence.

Heart Diseases: Surgery

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many heart operations have taken place in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what change in the number of heart operations there has been in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison: Information concerning the number of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) in England where a heart operation was the main operative procedure in each of the last five years and the change in activity between each year has been placed in the following table.
	
		
			 FCEs(1) with a heart procedure as the main operative procedure(2) for the years 2007-08 to 2011-12 including actual and percentage change. Activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			  FCEs Actual change Percentage change 
			 2007-08 303,219 +11,998(3) +4.1(4) 
			 2008-09 310,748 +7,529 +2.5 
			 2009-10 314,453 +3,705 +1.2 
			 2010-11 323,338 +8,885 +2.8 
			 2011-12 333,948 +10,610 +3.3 
			 (1 )An FCE is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. (2 )The first recorded procedure or intervention in each episode, usually the most resource intensive procedure or intervention performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main procedure when looking at admission details, but a more complete count of episodes with a particular procedure is obtained by looking at the main and the secondary procedures. (3) From 2006-07. (4) From 2006-07. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Hospital Beds

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of hospital beds not in accident and emergency which were occupied by patients from accident and emergency with minor injuries in (a) Lancashire and (b) England in the last five years.

Jane Ellison: No estimate has been made.
	NHS England collects data from all national health service organisations that operate beds, open overnight or day only. It collects the total number of available bed days and the total number of occupied bed days by consultant main specialty, for general and acute, learning disabilities, maternity and mental illness, but the data does not include information on patient conditions or diagnoses.

Hospitals: Staff

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the Francis Report's recommendations for minimum staffing requirements on hospital wards.

Daniel Poulter: Recommendation 23 of the Francis Report stated that the standard procedures and practice should include evidence-based tools for establishing what each service is likely to require as a minimum in terms of staff numbers and skill mix. This should include nursing staff on wards, as well as clinical staff.
	We agree that there is a need for evidence-based guidance and tools to inform appropriate staffing levels. Patient safety is paramount and patient safety experts agree that safe staffing levels should be set locally. It is not for Whitehall to set one size fits all staffing rules; instead we have asked the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and other nursing experts to review the evidence in order to help hospitals make the right decisions on staff numbers at a local ward level.
	The Chief Nursing Officer, supported by the National Quality Board is developing guidance for the system, including a set of expectations in relation to transparency and publication of information concerning staffing, to support organisations in securing the appropriate nursing, midwifery and care staffing capacity and capability.
	This guidance will require healthcare providers to publish staffing levels and to use evidence based tools and guidance in assessing safe staffing levels.

Mental Health Services

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the waiting times for accessing mental health services.

Norman Lamb: We have enshrined in law the equal importance of mental health, alongside physical health. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 sets out the equal status of mental and physical health.
	We have made improving mental health, and treating mental illness, a key priority for the new NHS Commissioning Board. One of the Board's 24 objectives is to put mental health on a par with physical health, and close the health gap between people with mental health problems and the population as a whole.
	The Mandate to NHS England makes it clear that 'everyone who needs it should have timely access to evidence based services'. We want NHS England to work with clinical commissioning groups to address unacceptable delays and significantly improve access and waiting times to mental health services. NHS England are currently undertaking analysis of waiting times in mental health with a view to setting access standards.

Ministerial Policy Advisors

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in his Department.

Daniel Poulter: One Executive Officer provides direct support to the special advisers.

Obesity

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the conclusion by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Quality and Outcomes Framework Advisory Committee at its meeting on 18 September 2013 that indicator OB001 on obesity was a less important indicator to keep in the Quality and Outcomes Framework;
	(2)  whether he has any plans to recommend that the obesity indicator should be dropped from the Quality and Outcomes Framework.

Jane Ellison: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence was asked by NHS England to undertake a piece of work to inform a review of indicators of the clinical and public health domains within the Quality and Outcomes Framework. This advice will feed into the ongoing discussions on the General Medical Services (GMS) contract.
	The outcome of the GMS contract negotiations will be published in due course.

Obesity

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of whether the indicators currently set out in the Quality and Outcomes Framework are effective in providing incentives to GPs to tackle obesity and overweight.

Jane Ellison: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given on 3 July 2013, Official Report, column 707W, by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Anna Soubry), to the hon. Member for Colchester (Sir Bob Russell).

Obesity: Lancashire

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children below the age of 14 have been deemed clinically obese in (a) Ribble Valley constituency and (b) Lancashire in the last five years.

Jane Ellison: Information is not available in the format requested. Information on the prevalence of obese children is available in the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). This information is only available for children in Reception year (aged four and five) and year 6 (aged 10 to 11). The latest data available are for 2011-12.
	Information on the prevalence of obese children by region and local authority (derived from the postcode of the school) for 2011-12 is shown in Table 1.
	Information on the prevalence of obese children by region and local authority (derived from the postcode of the child's residence) for 2011-12 is shown in Table 2.
	Information on the prevalence of obese children by Government office region, local authority county/unitary authority and local authority district/former district (derived from the postcode of the school) for 2010-11 is shown in Table 3.
	Information on the prevalence of obese children by Government office region, local authority county/unitary authority and local authority district/former district (derived from the postcode of the child's residence) for 2010-11 is shown in Table 4.
	Information on the prevalence of obese children by Government office region, local authority county/unitary authority and local authority district/former district for 2009-10 is shown in Table 5.
	Information on the prevalence of obese children by Government office region, local authority county/unitary authority and local authority district/former district for 2008-09 is shown in Table 6.
	Information on the prevalence of obese children by local authority district for 2007-08 is shown in Table 7.
	Information on the prevalence of obese children by local authority council for 2007-08 is shown in Table 8.
	Information on the prevalence of obese children by local education authority for 2007-08 is shown in Table 9.
	
		
			 Table 1: Prevalence of obese children by region and local authority (derived from the postcode of the school), 2011-12 
			  Obese     
			  Reception Year 6 Number of children measured Participation rate (%) 
			 Area Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Prevalence(%) 95% confidence interval ± Reception Year 6 Reception Year 6 
			 England 9.5 0.1 19.2 0.1 565,662 491,118 94.2 92.4 
			 North West 9.7 0.2 19.8 0.3 77,432 68,180 94.4 92.4 
			 Lancashire 9.6 0.5 17.5 0.7 12,514 11,210 94.5 92.2 
			 Ribble Valley 10.6 2.4 15.3 2.8 616 619 96.6 94.1 
			 Note: 95% confidence intervals should be taken into account when making direct comparisons of two different prevalence figures. Where confidence intervals overlap, it is not possible to determine the statistical significance (or otherwise) of the difference. Source: The Health and Social Care Information Centre, Lifestyle Statistics/Department of Health Obesity Team NCMP Dataset 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Prevalence of obese children by region and local authority (derived from the postcode of the child), 2011-12 
			  Obese   
			  Reception Year 6 Number of children measured 
			 Area Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Reception Year 6 
			 England 9.5 0.1 19.2 0.1 565,662 491,118 
			 North West 9.8 0.2 19.8 0.3 75,399 66,092 
			 Lancashire 9.6 0.5 17.5 0.7 12,392 11,191 
			 Ribble Valley 9.6 2.5 15.0 2.9 522 568 
			 Notes: 1. 95% confidence intervals should be taken into account when making direct comparisons of two different prevalence figures. Where confidence intervals overlap, it is not possible to determine the statistical significance (or otherwise) of the difference. 2. Participation rates are based on eligible pupils and actual pupils measured. The number of eligible pupils is based on the geographical location of the school. Participation rates based on the geographical location of the resident are not appropriate and so have not been included in this table. Source: The Health and Social Care Information Centre, Lifestyle Statistics/Department of Health Obesity Team NCMP Dataset 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3: Prevalence of obese children by Government office region, local authority county/unitary authority and local authority district/former district (derived from the postcode of the school), 2010-11 
			  Obese     
			  Reception Year 6 Number of children measured Participation rate (%) 
			 Area Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Reception Year 6 Reception Year 6 
			 England 9.4 0.1 19.0 0.1 541,255 495,353 93.4 91.8 
			 North West 9.7 0.2 19.7 0.3 75,698 69,347 94.8 93.2 
			 Lancashire 9.2 0.5 17.7 0.7 12,257 11,257 94.3 92.5 
			 Ribble Valley 7.8 2.2 12.2 2.5 589 647 96.6 95.7 
			 Note: 95% confidence intervals should be taken into account when making direct comparisons of two different prevalence figures. Where confidence intervals overlap, it is not possible to determine the statistical significance (or otherwise) of the difference. Source: The Health and Social Care Information Centre, Lifestyle Statistics/Department of Health Obesity Team NCMP Dataset 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 4: Prevalence of obese children by Government office region, local authority county/unitary authority and local authority district/former district (derived from the postcode of the child's residence), 2010-11 
			  Obese     
			  Reception Year 6 Number of children measured Participation rate (%) 
			 Area Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Reception(3) Year 6(3) Reception Year 6 
			 England 9.4 0.1 19.0 0.1 540,228 494,334 93.4 91.8 
			 North West 9.7 0.2 19.7 0.3 75,415 69,034 94.8 93.2 
			 Lancashire 9.1 0.5 17.7 0.7 12,196 11,238 94.3 92.5 
			 Ribble Valley 7.9 2.3 13.8 2.7 509 616 96.6 95.7 
		
	
	
		
			 Notes: 1. 95% confidence intervals should be taken into account when making direct comparisons of two different prevalence figures. Where confidence intervals overlap, it is not possible to determine the statistical significance (or otherwise) of the difference. 2. The above data are based upon the postcode of the child. 99.7% of records in the 2010-11 national dataset included a valid child postcode. 3. The difference between the totals in Table 4 and Table 8 are due to records where it was possible to assign the child's residence to a Local Authority but it could not be assigned to a child urban/rural indicator, or vice-versa. Source: The Health and Social Care Information Centre, Lifestyle Statistics/Department of Health Obesity Team NCMP Dataset 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 5: Prevalence of obese children, by Government office region, local authority county/unitary authority and local authority district/former district, 2009-10 
			  Obese   
			  Reception Year 6 Number of children measured 
			 Area Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Reception Year 6 
			 England 9.8 0.1 18.7 0.1 526,499 499,867 
			 North West 9.9 0.2 19.3 0.3 74,026 71,359 
			 Lancashire 9.7 0.5 17.6 0.7 12,374 11,813 
			 Ribble Valley 10.2 2.4 12.7 2.8 629 559 
			 Note: 95% confidence intervals should be taken into account when making direct comparisons of two different prevalence figures. Where confidence intervals overlap, it is not possible to say that a difference is statistically significant. Source: The Health and Social Care Information Centre, Lifestyle Statistics/Department of Health Obesity Team NCMP Dataset 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 6: Prevalence of obese children by Government office region, local authority county/unitary authority and local authority district/former district, 2008-09 
			  Obese   
			  Reception Year 6 Number of children measured 
			 Area Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Reception Year 6 
			 England 9.6 0.1 18.3 0.1 506,169 497,680 
			 North West 9.6 0.2 18.9 0.3 71,265 70,207 
			 Lancashire 9.0 0.5 17.0 0.7 11,739 11,639 
			 Ribble Valley 7.4 2.1 15.3 2.8 583 629 
			 Note: 95% confidence intervals should be taken into account when making direct comparisons of two different prevalence figures. Where confidence intervals overlap, it is not possible to say that a difference is statistically significant. Source: The Health and Social Care Information Centre, Lifestyle Statistics/Department of Health Cross-Government Obesity Unit NCMP Dataset 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 7: Prevalence of obese children by local authority district, 2007-08 
			  Obese   
			  Reception Year 6 Number of children measured 
			 Local authority district Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Reception Year 6 
			 Ribble Valley 8.5 2.4 13.8 2.9 504 538 
			 Total 9.6 0.1 18.3 0.1 477,652 495,421 
			 Notes: 1. Local authority mapping has been based on school location. 2. 95% confidence intervals should be taken into account when making direct comparisons of two different prevalence figures Where confidence intervals overlap, it is not possible to say that a difference is statistically significant. Source: The Health and Social Care Information Centre, Lifestyle Statistics/Department of Health Cross-Government Obesity Unit NCMP Dataset 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 8: Prevalence of obese children by local authority council, 2007-08 
			  Obese   
			  Reception Year 6 Number of children measured 
			 Local authority county Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Reception Year 6 
			 Lancashire 9.5 0.6 17.2 0.7 10,397 10,973 
			 Total 9.6 0.1 18.3 0.1 477,652 495,421 
			 Notes: 1. Local authority mapping has been based on school location. 2. 95% confidence intervals should be taken into account when making direct comparisons of two different prevalence figures. Where confidence intervals overlap, it is not possible to say that a difference is statistically significant. Source: The Health and Social Care Information Centre, Lifestyle Statistics/Department of Health Cross-Government Obesity Unit NCMP Dataset 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 9: Prevalence of obese children by local education authority, 2007/08 
			  Obese   
			  Reception Year 6 Number of children measured 
			 Local education authority Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Prevalence (%) 95% confidence interval ± Reception Year 6 
			 Lancashire 9.5 0.6 17.2 0.7 10,381 10,956 
			 Total 9.6 0.1 18.3 0.1 10,381 10,956 
			 Notes: 1. Local education authority mapping has been based on coding provided by the Department for Communities, Schools and Families (DCSF). 2. 95% confidence intervals should be taken into account when making direct comparisons of two different prevalence figures. Where confidence intervals overlap, it is not possible to say that a difference is statistically significant. Source: The Health and Social Care Information Centre, Lifestyle Statistics/Department of Health Cross-Government Obesity Unit NCMP Dataset

Stress

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has funded on the effect of stress on (a) cancer and (b) heart disease.

Daniel Poulter: The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has not funded research specifically on the effect of stress on cancer.
	The NIHR Cardiovascular biomedical research unit at the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and Imperial College London has carried out research on whether stress induced ischaemia can result in elevation of cardiac troponin.

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for the UK to leave the EU in his Department's area of responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds), on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W. The Department has not made any plans for the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Developing Countries: Drugs

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the number of people co-infected with HIV and tuberculosis who have access to anti-retroviral drug treatment.

Lynne Featherstone: DFID's assessments are drawn from the UNAIDS Report on the Global Epidemic and the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2013, both of which confirmed that globally 57% of people diagnosed with HIV and tuberculosis co-infection received antiretroviral therapy.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the number of people who developed active tuberculosis in 2012 but were not diagnosed or treated.

Lynne Featherstone: The Global Tuberculosis (TB) Report 2013, which was published by the World Health Organisation last month, estimates that about 3 million people who developed TB in 2012 were either not diagnosed or were diagnosed and not reported as a TB case in national health information systems.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans her Department has to support countries with high burdens of tuberculosis who are currently missing targets for mortality, prevalence and incidence as defined by the World Health Organisation.

Lynne Featherstone: According to the World Health Organisation, 11 of the 22 high tuberculosis (TB) burden countries are not on track to reach one or more of the three targets for reductions of mortality, prevalence and incidence. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria is the principal mechanism that the UK Government uses to tackle TB in developing countries. In September 2013, the UK Government committed up to £1 billion over the next three years, so long as this is no more than 10% of the total replenishment. This will help provide TB treatment for over a million more people and accelerate progress in off track high burden countries.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the current global incidence of tuberculosis; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: The Global Tuberculosis (TB) Report 2013, which was published by the World Health Organisation last month, estimates that 8.6 million people developed TB in 2012. The rate of new cases has been falling worldwide for about a decade and the Millennium Development Goal target has been achieved globally. However, the rate of decline is slow, at just 2% a year, and eleven high burden countries are currently not on track to reduce incidence, prevalence and mortality in line with targets.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the May 2013 report of the UN High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, what assessment she has made of the report's conclusion that investing in tuberculosis case finding and treatment is highly cost-effective.

Lynne Featherstone: The UK Government is fully aware that tuberculosis (TB) case finding and treatment is highly cost effective. We welcome the report's note of this.

EU Institutions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how many visits Ministers from her Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in her Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: Details of all overseas visits undertaken by DFID Ministers are published under the transparency section of the DFID website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dfid-secretary-of-state-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-with-external-organisations
	for the Secretary of State;
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dfid-parliamentary-under-secretary-of-state-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-with-external-organisations
	for the PUSS;
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dfid-minister-of-state-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-with-external-organisations
	for the Minister of State.
	Details of all overseas visits undertaken by the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants are published under the transparency section of the DFID website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dfid-senior-executives-business-expenses-gifts-travel-and-meetings

India

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she will take to include an awareness of the risk of trafficking of women and girls in her Department's response to the crisis engendered by Cyclone Phailin.

Alan Duncan: The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), is very conscious of the elevated risks to girls and women in emergencies. Next week the UK will bring leading humanitarian actors together at a high-level event in order to ensure that these issues are systematically addressed. For its part, DFID has committed to ensuring that it assesses these risks in all humanitarian responses.
	In the case of Cyclone Phailin, the UK Government has prioritised the most vulnerable beneficiaries, and is working with partners to ensure protection issues are central to our response.

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in her Department.

Alan Duncan: DFID currently employs one official at executive officer grade to provide direct support to the Department's special advisers.

Pitcairn Islands

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what evaluation she has made of the economic added value to Pitcairn eco-tourism generated by the proposed Marine Conservation Zone; what assessment she has made of the saving in grant-in-aid by her Department that might arise if it were approved; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: DFID is aware of the proposal for a Marine Protected Area (MPA) which has been submitted by the Pew Charitable Trust to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for consideration.
	Work is currently underway to explore and assess all potential economic opportunities available to the Pitcairn Islanders, and this includes a MPA. The preliminary assessment suggests that there is not likely to be any significant economic benefit to declaring an MPA, whilst the costs of enforcing it may be significant. The UK Government is committed to working with Pitcairn Island Government and with partner organisations to ensure the sustainable management of Pitcaim's marine environment.

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for the UK to leave the EU in her Department's area of responsibility; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Minister for Europe, the right hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds) on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W. The Department has not made any plans for the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many hours Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutors spent undergoing tablet training in 2012-13; and how much such training cost the CPS.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) provided prosecutors with basic training on the use of the tablets at the point of issue. Subsequently all prosecutors who had been issued with a tablet completed a ‘Digital Licence Self-Assessment’ which identified any further specific training needs and accessibility requirements. Local managers provided the required training to each prosecutor who, when confident in the use of the tablet, was awarded a Digital Licence. The information on the number of hours and cost involved in providing such training is not held centrally and providing this information would involve checking individual staff records for all prosecutors across the CPS which would incur a disproportionate cost.

JUSTICE

Attendance Allowance: Appeals

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for attendance allowance appeals.

Shailesh Vara: The First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS), administered by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) decisions on a range of benefits, including attendance allowance (AA).
	The total number of appeals received by the SSCS tribunal nationally has risen significantly: from 339,200 in 2009-10 to 507,100 in 2012-13 (an increase of 49%). The number of AA appeals received has risen from 3,874 in 2009-10 to 5,037 in 2012-13 (an increase of 30%). HMCTS has responded strongly at a national level to continue to increase the capacity of the SSCS tribunal and reduce waiting times. Measures in place include ongoing recruitment of additional judges and medically qualified members and the review and continuous improvement of administrative processes both internally and between HMCTS and DWP. This is in addition to local initiatives, such as identifying additional hearing venues across HMCTS estate, and increasing the use of Saturday sessions. All of this is having a positive effect. The total number of disposals (which includes appeals disposed of at a tribunal hearing as well as those struck out, superseded or withdrawn) has increased significantly from 279,000 in 2009-10 to 465,500 in 2012-13 (an increase of 66%). AA disposals have increased from 3,543 in 2009-10 to 5,231 in 2012-13.
	In the first quarter of this year, the tribunal disposed of 1,345 AA appeals, compared to 1,237 in the same quarter last year, an increase of 9%. HMCTS does not hold data on average waiting times by benefit type. However, the average waiting time for all benefit types has fallen nationally from 23-weeks in 2011-12 to 18-weeks in 2012-13. This reduction has been sustained in the first quarter of2013-14.

Civil Litigation Costs Review

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  when he plans to review the effects of the reforms to costs in civil litigation proposed by Lord Justice Jackson on access to justice; and how those effects will be measured;
	(2)  with reference to his Department's announcement of 23 October 2013, how much of the 12 per cent reduction in motor insurance premiums over the last year is attributable to the reforms to civil litigation funding and costs brought in April 2013.

Shailesh Vara: The Government has recently reformed the costs of civil litigation through provisions in part 2 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, following recommendations by Lord Justice Jackson. These reforms and associated changes are intended to have a positive impact in reducing the costs of civil litigation for both claimants and defendants, including insurers.
	The Jackson reforms came into effect in April 2013. As set out in the impact assessment published with the Act, we are committed to carrying out a review within three to five years of implementation.
	While it is still too early to assess the full impact of the reforms, the Government welcomes the reported fall in insurance premiums which AA Insurance have ascribed to anticipated savings from the Government's reforms.

Community Orders

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2013, Official Report, column 502W, on community orders, what is considered as other in relation to the percentage of terminations of community and suspended sentence orders.

Jeremy Wright: 'Other' reasons for the termination of a community or suspended sentence order as reported in the ‘Offender Management Statistics Quarterly—2012 Annual Tables’—Table A4.23 include an order being revoked on application to the court, death of the offender, as well as a miscellaneous group of 'other' reasons which cannot be separately identified from the central data source. Guidance provided to the Probation Service on how to code terminations of community and suspended sentence orders states that the 'other' code:
	‘is to be used only in exceptional circumstance. The 'other' code may be applied to a requirement or Licence Condition which has not commenced, or has commenced but not completed and needs to be terminated owing to some other reason—e.g. the offender was removed or deported’.

Courts: Buildings

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the annual cost to the public purse is of maintaining disused court buildings;
	(2)  how many disused court buildings are lying empty because they have not been sold.

Shailesh Vara: I refer the hon. Member to the information placed in the House of Commons Library, deposit reference DEP2013-1731, on 29 October 2013, Official Report, column 417W.

Criminal Proceedings: Autism

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department is taking to ensure that autism awareness training is available to all staff in the criminal justice sector, in line with the Adult Autism Strategy.

Shailesh Vara: Disability and diversity guidance and training, including on learning disabilities, is available for staff of the Ministry of Justice.
	Autism training, including for criminal justice system staff, is currently being looked at as part of the review of the 2010 Autism strategy “Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives”, being led by the Department of Health, and my Department is contributing to this work.

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  which provisions of Council Framework Decision 2008/947/JHA (a) have and (b) have not been implemented by the UK;
	(2)  what new laws or practices would be required in the UK if the UK was to implement all the requirements of Council Framework Decision 2008/947/JHA;
	(3)  how many new judgments and decisions the UK would be required to implement, and at what cost to UK public funds, if the UK implemented Council Framework Decision 2008/947/JHA and (a) no additional EU member states implemented the Framework Decision and (b) all member states implemented the Framework Decision;
	(4)  which EU member states have implemented Council Framework Decision 2008/947/JHA;
	(5)  which EU member states which have not yet done so intend to implement Council Framework Decision 2008/947/JHA;
	(6)  whether the Government plans to ratify the 1964 Council of Europe Convention on the Supervision of Conditionally Sentenced or Conditionally Released Offenders; and what the reasons are for this position.

Damian Green: Council Framework Decision 2008/947/JHA is subject to the UK's Justice and Home Affairs block opt-out decision. No provisions of the Framework Decision have been implemented in the UK pending that decision. In July the Government notified the presidency of the council that the UK had exercised the opt-out. Council Framework Decision 2008/947/JHA is not one of the measures that the Government has identified as being in the national interest to rejoin. In order to implement this Framework Decision, the UK would need legislation to empower our authorities to recognise, vary and enforce sentences imposed by other member states, and to be able to transfer sentences out of the UK. I understand that only a limited number of member states have implemented this Framework Decision to date. However, the European Court of Justice will have jurisdiction over the measure from 1 December 2014 and member states may face infraction proceedings if they have not implemented by then.
	The European Commission collects and maintains information on member states' implementation of EU measures. To the best of our knowledge this measure has not yet been used and there is a lack of clarity as to how it will work in practice (as I explained in my recent letter to the Justice Select Committee dated 21 October). As such we have not been able to accurately estimate the scale of the potential impact from this Framework Decision. We are clear however that the vague drafting of some aspects of the measure mean it would not be in the UK's national interest to allow ECJ jurisdiction over it. The 1964 Council of Europe Convention on the Supervision of Conditionally Sentenced or Conditionally Released Offenders does not deal with either community sentences or post-custodial licence, but only deferred and suspended sentences, and hence does not replicate the Framework Decision on probation measures. There are no plans to ratify it.

Offenders: Females

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of female offenders have not reoffended within five years of the completion of their sentence since 2001.

Jeremy Wright: The following table shows for the proportion of female offenders between 2002 to 2005 who did not reoffend within five years after they either were released from custody, received a non-custodial conviction at court, received a caution, reprimand, warning or tested positive for opiates or cocaine.
	
		
			  2002 2003 2004 2005 
			 Proportion of offenders not reoffending (%) 59.3 59.3 59.8 61.6 
			 Number of offenders 116,867 123,188 130,678 141,931 
		
	
	Data are not available for 2001 due to a problem with archived data on court orders. Data for 2006 and 2007 could not be provided as they are not available.

Personal Injury: Compensation

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  when he proposes to implement the new independent medical panel scheme for whiplash claimants;
	(2)  whether the new independent medical panel scheme will apply to all personal injury claims;
	(3)  what steps he is taking to ensure that insurers do not make offers to settle whiplash claims without medical evidence;
	(4)  how the new independent medical panel scheme for whiplash claimants will be funded;
	(5)  with reference to his Department's announcements of 23 October 2013, what further proposals he is considering to reduce fraudulent or exaggerated whiplash claims;
	(6)  what steps he is taking to ensure that insurers share more of their data on suspected fraudulent or exaggerated whiplash claims;
	(7)  for how long he has deferred any increase in the small claims threshold for personal injury claims.

Shailesh Vara: The Government is committed to reducing the number and cost of whiplash claims to help bring down the cost of motor insurance premiums for consumers. Our reforms will create an improved, robust system for medical examinations and reporting to ensure that those who make unnecessary, exaggerated or fraudulent claims are deterred from doing so. There is no set time frame for the full implementation of the Government's reform programme. However, my officials will work at pace with stakeholders and staged implementation will begin next year.
	The Government's response document makes clear that the new scheme will not only apply to whiplash claims. We intend that the same rigorous system will apply to similar road traffic accident soft tissue injury claims such as those to the back and neck. The Government also intends to work with stakeholders to explore options for ensuring that a medical examinations and report are completed before a claim can proceed.
	Details of the most appropriate funding scheme are still to be developed, but the Government believes there are areas of common ground with industry in this area. We are keen to talk to stakeholders about funding opportunities which would meet the costs of setting up and running the new system and also deliver the Government's intention that such costs should not fall on the public purse.
	There were a number of other ideas and suggestions put forward by stakeholders for addressing the issue of unnecessary, exaggerated and fraudulent claims. The Government may wish to discuss alternative proposals with stakeholders in due course, but its primary focus is on the effective implementation of the measures outlined in the 23 October announcement.
	My officials will be engaging directly with representatives from both the insurance industry and from claimant lawyer groups, to ensure there is a speedy resolution to the issue of sharing fraud data. A reduction in the number of fraudulent claims will lower costs for insurers, which will in turn allow them to reduce premiums for their customers.
	The Government position on the issue of raising the small claims threshold for personal injury claims is clear. We believe there are strong reasons for raising the small claims limit, but the evidence also shows that the time is not right to do so now. More work to support litigants in person and on how best to regulate the claims management market needs to be pursued. It is also important to assess the impact on the cost of motor insurance of the civil justice reforms implemented on 1 April before returning to this issue.

Prisoners: Repatriation

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign nationals who committed a crime in the UK have chosen to serve time in their country of origin since 1 January 2007.

Jeremy Wright: The number of foreign nationals sentenced to imprisonment in England and Wales who have voluntarily returned to serve their sentence in prisons in their home country since 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2012 is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2007 111 
		
	
	
		
			 2008 68 
			 2009 41 
			 2010 41 
			 2011 33 
			 2012 41 
		
	
	The repatriation of prisoners to and from Scotland, and to and from Northern Ireland is a devolved matter.

Prisons

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which prisons have increased their operational capacity since 4 September 2013; on what date the decision was made to increase the operational capacity of each such prison; on what date each such increase came into effect; what additional resources have been provided at each such prison; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: We will always have enough prison places for those sent to us by the courts, but we need to modernise the estate to provide prison capacity at much lower cost and in the right places to deliver our ambition of reducing reoffending. There will be more adult male prison capacity in May 2015 than there was at the start of this Parliament.
	Because of the new capacity coming on stream we are now in a position to close a further four prisons, removing 1,400 uneconomic places from the estate. In order to maximise the savings that we can make from these closures we have decided to increase the operational capacity at a number of prisons for a short period.
	Since 4 September, HM Prisons Bristol, Nottingham, Portland and Swansea have temporarily increased their operational capacity. These additional places are judged to be safe and decent to operate taking into account control, security and the proper operation of the planned regime. We will keep the need for these places under review. HM Prison Bure has increased capacity as a result of a long-term planned increase. The increase in capacity at HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Rochester and HM Prison Gartree are a result of revised cell certification. All increases are set out in the following table.
	The operational capacity of a prison is the total number of prisoners that an establishment can hold and is determined by the Deputy Director of Custody on the basis of operational judgment and experience.
	No additional funding has been issued to those prisons where the increase in operational capacity is temporary. At these prisons, the funding for these places will be covered from within existing public sector prison budgets. As the increase in operational capacity at HM Prison Bure is part of a longer-term, pre-planned increase, the funding for this extra capacity has already been included in our financial plans.
	
		
			 Prisons that have increased their operational capacity since 4 September 2013 
			 Prison Operational capacity at 30 August 2013 Total increase in places since 4 September 2013 Operational capacity at 25 October 2013 Date of increase 
			 Bristol 614 25 639 25 October 2013 
			 Bure 523 101 624 Between 27 September 2013 and 25 October 2013 
		
	
	
		
			 Gartree 707 1 708 6 September 2013 
			 Nottingham 1,060 40 1,100 25 October 2013 
			 Portland 530 90 620 25 October 2013 
			 Rochester 658 4 662 20 September 2013 
			 Swansea 435 10 445 25 October 2013

Probation

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many different ICT packages are used in the Probation Service; and what assessment he has made of how these will be merged across the service in time to successfully meet his timescale for his Transforming Rehabilitation proposals.

Jeremy Wright: Currently probation trusts use both national and local ICT applications (ICT packages) to support their offender management work.
	The primary national applications are Oasys, which is used for the risk assessment of offenders and National Delius which is used for day-to-day offender case management. Both applications were introduced across all trusts in England and Wales in 2013, and so do not need to be merged. They enable a consistent national approach to the use and recording of offender risk assessment and case management across England and Wales.
	Probation trusts maintain, independently, a range of local ICT applications (for example for staff work load management, or victim liaison) to support offender management activities.
	The ICT work strand of the Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) programme has audited and analyzed the range of probation trust local ICT applications. While there is no business requirement to merge these, a suite of ‘best of breed’ local applications will be introduced progressively as part of the creation of the National Probation Service (NPS). This is being done to support consistency of practice and to enable rationalisation.
	Once established, Community Rehabilitation companies (CRC) will continue to use existing local ICT applications pending those applications development or rationalisation by the new providers.

Serco

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects to receive the final report of the audit by PricewaterhouseCoopers of contracts held by Serco in England and Wales.

Jeremy Wright: We expect to receive a final report of the audit later this year, once the audit work has concluded. The audit work is ongoing and we will update Parliament in due course.

Victim Support

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with G4S on the changing structure of Victim Support.

Damian Green: There have been no such discussions. The Government has committed that in future, the majority of services for victims of crime will be commissioned locally, by police and crime commissioners, though there will remain some services which will be commissioned nationally. This decision was announced in the Government's response to the consultation, "Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses".

Victim Support

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many volunteers work for Victim Support.

Damian Green: Victim Support is an independent charity. The Ministry of Justice does not collect information about their employees or volunteers.
	Victim Support has confirmed that they had approximately 5,600 volunteers in 2012-13.

Victim Support Schemes

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the EU Directive establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime and of the extent to which his proposed changes to victim support are compatible with the directive.

Damian Green: The Government is making a full assessment of the EU Victims' Directive prior to its implementation date in November 2015. The Directive will be transposed in line with domestic policy aims through changes to national law through secondary legislation and statutory codes. This includes transposing part of the Directive in the new Victims’ Code. In commissioning services for victims in future, and in moving to the majority of services for victims being commissioned locally by Police and Crime Commissioners, we will be informed by the requirements of the Directive.

Young Offenders

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average amount of time is that a young offender will spend in a young offender institution.

Jeremy Wright: The average time served in custody by young offenders (aged under 21) discharged from a determinate sentence in 2012, including young offenders institutions, is published annually in April and can be found in Table A3.1c of the Annual Discharges tables 2012 via the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/194275/omsq-annual-tables-2012.zip
	This information does not include young people released from secure training centres and secure children's homes.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Young Offenders: Employment

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to assist young offenders leaving prison to gain employment.

Jeremy Wright: We believe that successful resettlement is key to ensuring long-term sustainable outcomes for young people leaving custody. We are currently considering a number of options to improve resettlement outcomes for young people leaving custody, including ensuring that resources already in place within Youth Offending Teams, local authorities and wider partners are being used effectively.
	Earlier this year we consulted on our vision to place education at the heart of youth custody. This will help equip young offenders with the necessary skills, qualifications and self-discipline that they need to access education, training and employment opportunities upon release. We know that this is an important element in effective resettlement.
	We will shortly be announcing our response to the Transforming Youth Custody consultation.